PrintWeek has moved over to computer-to-plate production.

Last weeks issue (2 November) was the first produced from digital plates by printer ET Heron.

PrintWeeks publisher Haymarket Publishing is now producing 40 of its 58 titles completely digitally.

This time last year the firm had no digitally produced magazines.

"Weve gone from being at the back of the queue for CTP to one of the leaders with around 70% of titles now digital," said group production director Chris King. "The driving force has been group pre-press manager Meurig Evans."

Haymarkets first magazine to go CTP was Revolution, which was first produced CTP at the end of last year by Kidderminster-based TPL (PrintWeek, 8 December).

King plans to be 100% CTP by the end of the first quarter of next year. Haymarket has invested over 100,000 in IT and training to move over to digital production.

ET Heron aims to be 100% CTP by the end of this year. PrintWeek was the last of Haymarkets titles printed by the firm, which include Marketing, Four Four Two and What Car?, to go CTP.

"Last month we processed 28,504 PDF pages up from 10,145 last October," said ET Heron technical marketing manager Jon Hearnden.

PrintWeeks pages were sent to ET Heron as ripped and screened PDF RS files from repro house Icon Reproduction. Flats were assembled by ET Heron using Agfa Apogee and output on its Agfa Galileo and Lscher platesetters.

"There were very few hiccups," said Hearnden.

The move to CTP saved two hours per section for PrintWeek, according to production manager Laura McClennon. "Everyone was very happy," she said.

Going CTP enables PrintWeek to be mailed before 1am on Thursday morning, therefore qualifying for a 2% discount on mailing costs.

"It also ensures that copies get to readers and advertisers on time," said King. "In any market with two titles, going CTP has a massive advantage in being out first."

Story by Barney Cox