"Anthem is the only commercially viable processless thermal plate approved for Trendsetter Quantum CTP systems," said Creos business manager for consumables, Steve Knight.

Pressteks Anthem plates require no chemical processing. The agreement is valid for new sales of the Trendsetter Quantum in the US, Europe and Canada.

With the removal of the plate processor option, users will only require a washer unit, which Knight said would provide both economic and quality benefits.

Pressteks consumables sales have remained strong, despite it reporting a 29% fall in sales and a net loss for the second quarter of 2002.

Revenues for the second quarter were 12.3m ($19.3m). Product sales totalled 11.3m, with the remaining 1m coming from royalties and fees from licensees.

The firm said that much of the decrease in sales was due to a decline in press sales to Xerox and kit sales to Heidelberg. But plate media revenue rose 10%.

The company reported a net loss of 7.3m, compared to a net income of 67,133 in 2001. Excluding inventory write-downs, consolidation of sites and redundancies announced in June, the net loss would have been 525,000.

Story by Andy Scott