Heidelberg has clarified its position on CTP, and, like CreoScitex, is anticipating price cuts on thermal plates.


"External thermal is the current state-of-the-art," said head of business unit pre-press Thomas Doliwa. "At the end of the day the most important question is plate costs.


"If one manufacturer raises production we can expect to see prices drop. The ball is already rolling - the question is how fast?"


The firm is watching developments in violet technology with interest and caution. "Plates are the bottleneck - we will see what happens six to nine months down the line," Doliwa said.
Heidelberg is ramping up sales of the Screen PlateRite-based Topsetter, and is planning to improve the specification.


New CTP customers will be offered the Topsetter, although the Trendsetter remains an option. Heidelberg has sold 100 Topsetters worldwide, and European installations started this month.


"Today it is not meeting all expectations," said Doliwa. "It's not fast enough and cannot make GTO-sized plates - something our customers definitely need."


He admitted tentative discussions had taken place with Purup-Eskofot regarding the DMX platesetter for some newspaper applications, but no formal agreement has been made (PrintWeek, 10 November).


Heidelberg will supply Purup-Eskofot's SpinJet double-sided imposition proofer "under the umbrella of solutions", according to Doliwa. "It's individual products not a strategy."


Story by Barney Cox