Dobruška/Sedlčany / The Van Druck printshop in Sedlčany is a long-term partner of KBA-Grafitec. The Sedlčany company prints on offset printing machines from Dobruška and recently became the first in the Czech Republic to use CtP Presstek Dimension 425 Excel.

KBA-Grafitec exhibited the new CtP model at the EmbaxPrint trade fair in Brno and then installed it at the Van Druck printshop. Up to then, Van Druck had used plates prepared by CtP externally. The owner of the Van Druck printshop, Oldřich Vančát decides quickly. "When I found out how much I could save with this CtP in 6 months I took the one straight from EmbaxPrint,“ says Mr Vančát, adding: "In 2003 I bought a new four-colour machine directly from the EmbaxPrint fair and this year it's CtP.“  

A company wanting to procure CtP must be prepared for the new technology. The Van Druck printshop has envisaged installation of CtP equipment for two years. It has constructed a pre-press studio and considered the offers of individual suppliers. The advantages of chemical-free technology won through. Part of the CtP system package from KBA-Grafitec was PDF workflow developed by the Polish company ACCHSH from Krakow. 

The new CtP has been in operation since the middle of June. Van Druck is a small to medium printshop. Procurement of CtP confirms the trend of penetration of CtP technology into smaller printshops, where the advantages of CtP Dimension shine through. The CtP system and plates developed by the American company Presstek use chemical-free and process-free plate preparation technology. CtP Presstek needs no ventilation. The printshop uses chemical-free Anthem plates supplied by KBA-Grafitec. After exposure plates are simply rinsed with ordinary water. At the Van Druck printshop rinsing is carried out in an Interzich A 660.5 washer.

Among other arguments in favour of CtP Presstek are easy operation, speed of preparation and quality achieved. Part of the business plan of Van Druck is the consideration that with the new CtP the printshop can make direct contact with additional customers. "I think CtP will bring us more customers. We now have the whole polygraphic production process, from preparation to finishing, on site and under control and we no longer depend on any external intermediaries. If someone sends the data, they have a ready order the same afternoon or next day," says Oldřich Vančát. CtP Dimension 425 Excel is linked up to the very latest SRA2 format printing machine. "Preparation is much faster, hardly any gauging is needed and the volume of maculaturehas also been reduced, which is positively reflected in the price of the product," added Mr. Vančát.

Printing in SRA2 format

The benefits of CtP Presstek convinced Mr Vančát of the suitability of purchasing the Dimension 425 Excel system. Of course the long-term commercial relationship with KBA-Grafitec had a large influence on the selection of CtP. Van Druck exclusively uses SRA2 format printing machines produced in Dobruška for offset printing. Currently the printshop has two four-colour and one two-colour printing machine.

Machines and equipment from KBA-Grafitec allow the Van Druck Sedlčany printshop to win in the competitive environment of prices. "We can offer up to ten percent lower prices in comparison with those which the customer can calculate on the most well-known regularly updated Czech servers," said the company's owner, revealing its pricing strategy.

The Van Druck printshop was set up by Oldřich Vančát in 1990. His company is now a family business, employing twenty staff. Five printers operate the printing machines in two shifts. The company prints predominantly for customers in Prague. The structure of orders consists of a whole range of polygraphic products, from broadsides, through brochures, to books. Aside from the new CtP Presstek Dimension 425 Excel, the purchase of a new building for storage and investment into finishing bear witness to the prosperity of the company.