Kodak has launched a new digital press and innovative additions to its comprehensive portfolio of digital and offset solutions designed to help printers boost their profitability and capitalise on new opportunities for growth.
The new KODAK ASCEND Digital Press is said to be a great solution for commercial printers and digital service providers who want to succeed in the growing retail/POP and packaging markets. It is an electrophotographic (EP) press that is designed to print heavy weight substrates at long lengths with CMYK and flat foil embellishments in one pass. It offers production speeds up to 572 sqm/hr (5280 sqft/hr). Its large sheet length of up to 122cm (48 inches) allows the press to offer 23% more print area than a B2 sheet. The new press enables printers to deliver sustainably recyclable print by using environmentally friendly KODACHROME Dry Inks, which are Indirect Food Contact rated. The new digital press will be available Q2 2022 in North America and Europe.
With PRINERGY On Demand Access, Kodak is introducing a cost-effective expansion of its cloud-based PRINERGY On Demand Platform. This new option makes the software platform affordable for more printers of any size, with or without digital presses. The new SaaS solution provides full connectivity to digital presses, Microsoft Azure-backed security and the scalability the PRINERGY On Demand Platform is known for. It includes preflight, colour management, file management, backup and routing as well as built-in Kodak Insite Prepress Portal functionality for file submission, remote customer collaboration and online approvals. It will be available in Q1 2022.
The new KODAK PROSPER Digital Varnish is a water-based varnish that can be jetted as an area or spot coat to printed packages using KODAK PROSPER S-Series or KODAK PROSPER Plus Imprinting Systems. The eco-friendly PROSPER Digital Varnish can be applied in perfect register with design elements and creates a matte protective layer providing rub and water resistance to paper-based packaging applications. As it is applied only where needed and doesn’t require plate making for spot coating, it helps printers eliminate the costs, effort, waste and environmental impact associated with traditional post-coating methods. The new varnish provides an environmentally friendly, water-based alternative to solvents and UV coatings. It will be available worldwide by the end of 2021.
The KODAK Mobile CTP Control App is an app that allows remote control and monitoring of up to 10 KODAK CTP Platesetters, reducing a dependency on onsite labour for managing jobs in queue, status updates, and more. The enhanced version of this app provides access to real-time and historical data with customisable reporting to save time on data analysis, help prioritise actions, and improve plate-making efficiency. The new version is now available worldwide to download for Android and iOS mobile operating system.
Person using Mobile CTP Control App on mobile phone to check CTP status remotely.
“The innovations announced reflect Kodak’s continued commitment to developing breakthrough solutions that enable our customers to improve their productivity and profitability and successfully expand their customer base,” said Jim Continenza, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “With innovations like the KODAK ASCEND Digital Press, we are opening up new profitable application opportunities for printers. We continue to deliver on our promise to provide a complete range of solutions that offer Print that Pays.”
