GPS has been named the exclusive distributor for Amsky's products in Europe and will begin shipping a 4-up UV device, branded GPS Imagine, by next year.

The platesetter offers resolutions of 1-99% at 175lpi and will be available in two models, UV-32 and UV-48, capable of outputting up to 16 or 22 plates per hour, respectively.

The list price for the UV-32 is €55,000 (£47,000) and GPS will offer finance via a plate bundle with its GPS X-Treme UV plates, similar to the thermal plate bundle it announced last year.

According to GPS international dealer manager Wim Plaggenburg, the platesetter will open up the UV CTP market to smaller firms, which were unable to afford systems from the likes of Swiss-based Luscher and Netherlands-based Basysprint.

"The investment in these devices was [previously] only justified with a certain high volume plate usage, but with the price of the UV4-32 the plate volume is secondary to the investment," he said.

"One of the basic considerations to invest in CTP is the running cost and therefore ROI. Depending on local plate prices the difference [with GPS X-Treme plates] may be a 30% to 40% lower running cost against thermal and violet."

Plaggenburg added that the GPS Imagine had been beta tested at sites in Italy and the Czech Republic and that the first orders were pending with installs expected between mid-November and January 2012.

The platesetters use 405nm UV diodes in 32 or 48 channels (UV-32 and UV-48) and GPS also expects to bring an 8-up device to market. The UK distributor for the GPS Imagine will be Winchcombe-based Prepress Services.