Purup-Eskofot has confirmed it is in talks with Heidelberg about an OEM deal for CTP products (PrintWeek, 3 November).


The deal was expected to be closed within days as PrintWeek went to press.


Heidelberg will sell Purup-Eskofot platesetters starting with the DMX range for newspaper and commercial printing. Purup-Eskofot's polyester machines for the small-format market will be added to Heidelberg's range later.


Also included in the deal is Purup-Eskofot's SpinJet tool for producing double sided-imposition proofs using Hewlett-Packard large-format printers.


Purup-Eskofot UK has also been making headway in photopolymer plate CTP.


"Photopolymer plates cost less, are more environmentally friendly and handle like conventional plates on-press," said Purup-Eskofot UK managing director David Smith.


Hobbs The Printers, the Southampton-based book printer, has installed a Purup-Eskofot DMX and is using Agfa N91 plates supplied by Printing Techniques.


"With eight B1 presses we need to feed our presses with a hell of a lot of plates," said Hobbs commercial director Terry Ozanne. "Purup came top for speed at 52 plates per hour."


Story by Barney Cox