TechNova introduces Avatar TZP direct-on-press process-free plates for newspapers

Manufactured by Agfa in Belgium, the direct-on-press thermal plates will be made available to Indian customers by TechNova.

Amit Khurana of TechNova Imaging Systems said, “We launched TechNova Imaging EcoSystem (TIE) during the last Wan-Ifra. With TIE, we now offer everything to take care of our customers’ present and foreseeable future needs. Be it consumables, hardware, software, engineering services, advisory services, TIE audits, logistics services and purchase efficiency services. We are committed to offering the full eco-system to our customers.”

Violet remains the preferred choice for newspaper customers due to its unique advantages such as robustness, higher productivity, ease of use, lower operational cost, lower maintenance cost, amongst others.

Khurana stated, “Violet technology has travelled a long distance from its introduction to the 4th generation Avatar VZH the ‘zero pre-heat’ plate, manufactured by Agfa. Presently about 70% of newspapers in India are using TechNova’s chem-free VioGreen plates which have helped save millions of litres of water, eliminate disposal of environment unfriendly chemistry and save power. TechNova is ready for next big leap in violet technology to move its esteemed newspaper customers to zero pre-heat Avatar VZH Violet plates.”

Referring to the launch of Avatar TZP plates, Khurana added, “TechNova has always offered the entire spectrum of plate technologies, from normal thermal plates and violet plates to chemistry-free and zero process plates. We believe that our customers using thermal technology are now ready to graduate to direct-on-press (DOP) thermal plates without any compromises on profit, press investments or quality, so the launch of Avatar TZP.”

The Avatar T-ZP is a process-free plate. Khurana said its introduction in the Indian market is a part of TechNova’s philosophy of being an accountable & responsible supplier. It also shows the company’s commitment to support the industry for deploying environment-friendly solutions which are less or non-polluting.

“We will offer these plates to our existing customers who are currently using thermal CTP plates,” he said.

Khurana said these plates will save space, power and time for our customers, as they do not need to buy plate processors. “Since there is huge saving in using process-free plates by eliminating the use of water & chemistry; elimination of all fixed and variable costs of owning and running a plate processor and savings on floor space, man hours and machine downtime, etc. The overall cost-in-use of Avatar TZP will be lower or similar compared to thermal plates.”

“There are legal and social obligations on newspapers to comply with environmental norms of the pollution board and also give a message to the society that they are fully responsible and committed to protecting the environment. The Avatar TZP facilitates the very crucial sustainability aspect of Indian newspapers,” he added.

Avatar TZP plates were recently tested in a few big newspaper publication houses.

Khurana said there is there is no difference in usage and handling of process-free plates over existing thermal CTP plates. “Rather, it will ease our customer’s operations by eliminating all the variables and related issues of thermal plate processing.” he said.

As part of TechNova’s Go Green mission, it already offers Azura TU Thermal chem-free plates for commercial printers, which eliminates the use of water and significantly reduces and replaces the environment damaging chemistry with a mild finisher, which is less harmful to the environment.

“Now we are taking it to next level with the launch of this process-free plate which will totally eliminate the developing stage from the plate-making process. This means total elimination of the use of water, chemistry and major reduction in the consumption of electrical power.” Khurana said.