"Fundamentally this is a customer- and efficiency-driven strategy," said group sales and marketing director John Ashfield.

The investment follows Polestars announcement of its group-wide move to CTP last year (PrintWeek, 16 November 2001).

Ashfield said the move involved separate deals across its business units, including a Creo deal for web offset and varying deals across its other businesses with Agfa, Esko-Graphics and Heidelberg.

"We have been lucky in waiting for the technology to be right for us before making this move," said Ashfield.

Maidenhead carton printer Polestar Taylowe has spent 270,000 (432,000) on a plate driver automatic eight-up thermal platesetter from Esko-Graphics and a complete upgrade for its Barco workflow.

Studio manager Andy Barton said the new system would be installed within the next 10 weeks, with the upgrade being completed at the same time.

Polestar Wheatons has invested 500,000 in new CTP and finishing equipment, after being given permission to source its own deal.

The Exeter-based journal printer has purchased an Agfa Xcalibur X45 platesetter and an automatic drilling system from Stanley Press Equipment, which will be installed at its site on 22 June.

Wheatons was allowed to source its own deal due to the nature of its work, which fell outside the groups CTP remit for its digital imaging and web-offset operations.

Story by Andy Scott