Pre-press expert Michael Mittelhaus has made the predictions in his report The Chinese are Coming, in which he said that Chinese plate manufacturers such as DingKaiLong, the Second Film Factory and Xingraphics will soon each have plate production capacities of above 40m/sqm annum.
DingKaiLong recently announced an investment in a new factory that will see its annual production capacity rise to over 60m/sqm per annum – one of the biggest CTP production sites in China – with more than 90% of its products due for export.
According to Mittelhaus, this is roughly equivalent to the "big three", Kodak, Agfa and Fuji, and he claims many Chinese plates are produced to European quality at a cost of approximately €1/sqm less than Western manufacturers.
He said: "Usage of Chinese plates in Europe will spread, and in four years time, there will be a Chinese plate presence in most European countries.
"Looking ahead four to eight years, Agfa, Kodak and Fuji will no longer dominate the offset plate printing market, and we will have another three or four names in the industry, and these will be Chinese."
However, one pre-press industry insider cast doubt on the predictions.
"Mittelhaus's contention is a bit sensational, I'd question what firms will move to Chinese plates.
"If I was a huge volume user I'd want to know there was a quality European support infrastructure, which all costs cash, to make sure my presses weren't kept idle – much more expensive than £2m.
"And if I was a small printer I'd be wondering how the hell I'd afford CTP and workflow if it wasn't on a loss-of-discount (plate bundle) deal."
Names of the future:
- DingKaiLong
60m sqm/annum CTP plate - Second Film Factor
38m/sqm analogue offset plate
5m thermal CTP plate - Xingraphic
25m/sqm CTP plate
