Barco aims to step up sales of its B1 and B2 CTP systems after making CT+line its UK agent.

It dropped Graphics and Offset Plates (GOP) UK because we felt no real push was being made from GOP, said Jurgen Desmedt, manager of indirect channels at Barco.

They were pushing Presstek rather than Barco devices. We also had a long-standing relationship with CT+lines boss, Colin Taylor, who used to work at Openshaw and knew our products well.

The Viking is based on the Gerber Crescent , which Openshaw used to sell.

CT+line will sell two sizes of violet laser machines.

The manual Viking B2, images 22 GTO-sized plates per hour at 540dpi, and costs from 55,995. The Viking 8 B1, manual or automatic, does 15 B1 plates per hour and starts at 97,795.

CT+line is offering the machines with ArtQuest Crescendo ROOM Signature workflow, which it is the UK distributor for. Barco hoped to offer a workflow solution soon.

CT+line will handle financing, plate options and consumables, said Desmedt.

A spokesman from GOP UK said: Im not going to bad-mouth Barco, they have made a commercial decision.

Contact: CT+line on 01332 364 108, or at www.ctandline.com.

Story by Jez Abbott