Fujifilm debuts direct laser exposure plate at Drupa

Fujifilm is set to strengthen its position in the packaging prepress market, with the launch of a new direct laser exposure (DLE) flexo plate.

Fujifilm revealed its plans at Drupa, where it announced its entry into the flexo plate market with a high-speed and high-quality direct exposure plate.

Our strategy is to provide packaging printers with not just offset, but also benchmark flexo CTP, said Fujifilm Graphic Systems UK director Keith Dalton.

The firm’s DLE plate requires no post-imaging UV exposure or processing, cutting up to an hour from plate production times compared to current laser ablation mask flexo CTP plates.

Fuji’s new plate is claimed to be faster and have a higher resolution than current DLE plates.

It’s unique for DLE plates in offering high quality and productivity, said Dalton.

Fujifilm showed a technical demonstration of the plate at Drupa and revealed that it plans to begin shipping at the start of 2009.