Fujifilm to cease European plate production
Fujifilm is closing its offset plate manufacturing line in Tilburg, The Netherlands, with the manufacturing of plates at present made there to be transferred to factories in Japan and China.
In a press release launched right this moment (24 November), the producer stated it was “frequently adapting its graphic communications enterprise to make sure it may be sustained in a resilient and enduring method” and that “this has required the corporate to search out new methods of working to fulfill buyer wants extra successfully, and new methods of serious about the way it can proceed to create worth”.
“Within the offset printing market, there was a steady lower within the demand for offset printing plates attributable to the transition to different types of communication, significantly digital media, and the diversification of printed output on account of the expansion in digital printing,” the assertion continued.
“This development has been accelerated by the impact of the Covid pandemic and the affect this has had on the way in which individuals eat print. This example has been additional compounded in Europe by uncooked materials price will increase, the volatility of the vitality market, and the affect of upper inflation.”
Consequently, Fujifilm has determined to shut its remaining offset plate manufacturing line on the Tilburg plant. After the switch of manufacturing to Japan and China has taken place, the manufacturing of offset plates in Tilburg will cease, with the method anticipated to be full in late 2023.
“Nevertheless, there isn’t any doubt that offset printing will stay a critically vital manufacturing course of for a few years to come back, because of its capacity to supply top quality, price efficient print in extremely productive and automatic print companies,” the corporate added.
“Fujifilm stays totally dedicated to maintain supplying its best-in-class offset printing plates into the EMEA market and be a key driving power by rising the adoption of its processless plates, such because the industry-leading Superia ZX, as they provide one of the best mixture of high quality and efficiency, and assist print service suppliers enhance manufacturing efficiencies additional.
“Fujifilm will try to serve EMEA clients in the easiest way below the brand new enterprise arrange and can proceed to focus its efforts on methods it may well contribute to the way forward for the offset printing market.”
The Tilburg manufacturing website was established in 1982. It makes offset plates, photographic paper, membranes and cell tradition media. It employed 734 individuals in the beginning of the 12 months.
The positioning opened its third CTP plate line, PS-10, in 2011 although Printweek understands it had solely been working two of its strains “for some time” on the level it reportedly closed considered one of its offset plate manufacturing strains on the finish of 2019.