Wyndeham Press is going down the CTP path en masse with several divisions set to install kit before the end of the year.


Chief executive Bryan Bedson said the group would be moving into CTP by the turn of the year.


Each firm is trying different systems. The publishing division may use different CTP to commercial, as long as they are compatible.


ET Heron, the firms magazine web printer, aims to go CTP by Christmas and is looking at an Agfa Galileo for its factory in Maldon, Essex.


It has two Agfa Avantra imagesetters said production director Ray Lesnik. We will keep them and build up CTP. The firm is currently in discussion with Agfa about platesetters.


Staff from the film-planning area were being retrained and nobody had been made redundant, he said. He was guarded on rumours of future losses. We are keeping staff aware of developments we are making, he said.


Westway Offset is putting in a Heidelberg Trendsetter 3244 and a B2 Digital Cromalin in November.


Ken Varnham, commercial director, said: The cleanliness, fit and reliability of CTP plates pointed us down that route. Nine-tenths of work comes on disk so it makes sense.


Wembleys Westway produces colour brochures for clients including BA and General Motors.


It is also installing a 10-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 102 ordered at Drupa in a 2m spend.


BR Hubbard Printers in Dronfields, Derbyshire is set for CTP but will not be rushed after Drupa sorties, said works director Colin Fox. The plate boys had grey areas on suitability of plates.


Story by Jez Abbott