UK sales of its Lithostar plate have increased by 139%, while Thermostar jumped by a huge 216%. Film volumes fell 20%, and prices dropped significantly.

Graphic Systems director Laurence Roberts said users should communicate their CTP plate needs as early as possible. If customers dont forecast what they need, they wont get their plates sometimes a business grows but they dont change their forecasts. People cant expect to just ring up and get plates, there is not a vast oversupply.

Were working like mad to meet demand and its just about in balance, he said.

Roberts was speaking as Agfa unveiled half-year results headlined turnaround confirmed, as the effects of its Horizon restructuring plan flowed through to the bottom line.

Worldwide sales in graphic systems were down 3.7% at 595m (931m). Roberts said the UK business was about 3% down. But thanks to the sales boost of Ipex, he expected full-year sales to be virtually static.

Internal cost cutting helped push up Graphic Systems operating margins to 8.1% (2001: 5.7%), prior to restructuring costs.

Roberts was relaxed about the emergence of a new European competitor in thermal plates, following Lastras acquisition of the Western Lithotech plate business.

Lastra is a low-cost manufacturer of reasonable quality analogue plates. Digital plates are much more difficult if it was easy wed all have warehouses full of them, he said.

Story by Jo Francis