A Change For The Better

"It saves a lot of time on design work too," he observes. "Our designers don't have to shoot plates."

All across the country, in-plants are unloading their film-based workflows in favor of the cost savings, speed and ease of computer-to-plate technology. According to a recent IPG survey, 17.1 percent of all in-plants have installed platesetters, with an additional 7.7 percent saying they plan to add CTP equipment in the next 18 months. CTP allows them to boost production, store jobs electronically, lower material costs and cut waste.