Fujifilm and MAN Roland have formally opened their joint Technology Centre at MAN Roland's home in Augsburg, Germany.


The new Fujifilm wing houses the latest pre-press technology including a Luxel T-9000 thermal platesetter and a Luxel F-9000 imagesetter.


Fuji's kit complements MAN Roland's four-colour Rotoman, and will be used to train over 1,000 operators a year.


MAN Roland chief executive Gerd Finkbeiner stressed that the alliance did not undermine the company's existing relationship with its PrintCity partner Agfa.


"On the bindery side we've worked with Muller Martini and Ferag, so now on the pre-press side Agfa and Fuji," said Finkbeiner, who believes standard interfaces are imperative.
MAN Roland is testing a coldset version of its DICOweb. Like its heatset cousin, the forme is imaged, de-imaged and re-imaged inside the press.


Story by John Davies