The company launched VioletNews, which as the name suggests is targeted at the newspaper market, at Ifra this week.

The negative plate, which the company claims is capable of run lengths of more than 200,000, will hit the market in the first quarter of 2005. The long-awaited launch has been the subject of industry speculation and rumour since Ipex 2002.

Stphane Livain, KPG vice-president of sales and marketing (Europe), joked that the launch of the plate was the "best-kept open secret in print".

He revealed that KPG will launch a version of the violet plate into the commercial print sector in the second quarter of 2005, based on the same technology.

But he added that the company still believed that the thermal plate market "is, and will remain, the largest and fastest-growing sector in CTP plates."

Alpha and beta versions of the plate have been in testing since January this year. It is being made at KPG's factory at Osterode, Germany. Livain said that that the plate was "robust", and unique for its "high chemical resistance" and high sensitivity. 

KPG has no current plans to launch its own violet platesetter to accompany the launch of the plate. 

Livain said that the firm would continue its policy of working as an "open partner" with a number of pre-press kit manufacturers. He declined to give an exact price for the plate, but said that pricing would be "competitive in the market".

KPG also launched a number of other additions to its pre-press portfolio at Ifra. Two new additions to the Newsetter line, the TH100 CL and the TH180CL, were on display alongside a plate quality management system and a "news monitor remote diagnostic system". The platesetters boast speeds of up to 180 plates per hour and an integrated plate loader which holds up to 300 plates.

They also have a smaller footprint and a 20-30% lower pricetag than their predecessors.

Story by Josh Brooks at Ifra