Eastern Counties Newspaper Group (ECNG) has placed an order for a further two Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) Newsetter systems following a successful trial of thermal CTP.

Trials began at ECNGs Norwich site earlier this year when it announced that, if successful, it would install two more systems as part of a 750,000 deal (PrintWeek, 9 February).

The firm will have three Newsetter TH100 lines, each capable of outputting 100 plates per hour, but it also plans to upgrade to the TH180 specification, which would give it a total capacity of 540 plates per hour. The CTP system will image KPGs ThermalNews plates.

ECNG managing director of printing Peter Dodds said: "We have been very pleased with all aspects of this line and are confident to go forward with this purchase of a two further lines. We expect to be completely changed over to CTP by April 2002."

KPG also claimed that European newspaper printers had accepted thermal CTP technology after it received orders for 10 Newsetter units at this years Ifra. The firm added that by the end of this year it would have sold over 100 units worldwide.

Story by John Davies