The company has chosen the commercial launch of its Pro-V plates, which were unveiled at last year’s drupa, to re-classify a number of its own products as “low-chemistry” and to challenge the generic industry terminology.

Graham Leeson, marketing communications manager for the graphic systems division of Fujifilm Europe, said: “For some time there has been a lack of clarity in the industry over the phrase ‘chemistry-free’ and what it means in terms of environmental impact.

“At Fujifilm, we feel the phrase is misleading in that it implies that ‘chemistry-free’ plates don’t require chemistry, when, in reality, nearly all need some sort of chemistry as part of the plate production process.”

Fujifilm’s decision has led to the re-classification of both its Brillia HD Pro-V and Brillia Pro-VN plates, together with the Brillia HD LH-PJE plate and FLH-Z ‘ZAC’ processors, as “low-chemistry”.

Fuji stressed that all four of these products used typically up to 75% less chemistry than processed alternatives and said that it hoped to provide printers with a clearer idea of the environmental performance of the systems they invested in.

“It’s not right to go along with it just because it’s an industry term,” said Leeson. “Our customers deserve a fair representation of what our products do and we have to be able to substantiate any claims that we make.”

Leeson refused to be drawn on whether other, rival plate manufacturers should consider adopting the “low-chemistry” term, and stressed that Fujifilm was solely concerned with its message to market.

However, he claimed: “If it’s misleading for us, it may be misleading for others.”

Read the original article at www.printweek.com.

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