Queensland-based supplier G2 Print Supply Division has installed a Xitron RIP CTP System for client Moore Printing in Kokopo, in Papua New Guinea, which the company says is its most remote installation ever.
Moore Printing was seeking a replacement for its failed imagesetter. The requirement to make plates for the GTO and KORD presses locally was essential, but the cost of a large CTP system was prohibitive. The Xitron CTP system using the Epson P6070 printer, Navigator rip and metal plate was the answer.
G2 says in a remote location it is essential the equipment is reliable and easy to maintain. The Xitron CTP system ticks all those boxes and gives additional output options for the local team to explore.
Bernie Hockings, director at G2 says, “The trip was good, it is a good place PNG, we go up there fairly regularly. It is an interesting part of the world, comes with its own challenges with being remote, such as going in and out of electricity, internet connections and security.
“We were up there for a week, takes a full day to take to the site, three hours from Brisbane to Port Moresby and then an hour to the location which gives you three days to work on site.”
[Related: G2 Solutions overhauls pre-press at Moore's former PNG HQ]
Hockings says, “We work with other printers in the region and are starting to work with government printers.
The Xitron system requires no chemistry or modification to the Epson printer, but uses the Xitron inkjet direct plug-in to image direct to inkjet receptive metal plates. The plates can be used without baking for runs up to 5000 impression or baked up to 10,000. There is no modification to the Epson hardware, so the unit is still capable of producing outstanding colour posters, internal signage, CAD drawings and more.
Kokopo is situated in the East New Britain province, and lies in the shadow of the still active volcano which destroyed Rabaul in 1994, resulting in the movement of the capital to Kokopo, approximately 20km from Rabaul. The area still sees small eruptions and earthquakes, which makes it a difficult environment for the printing equipment.
Terry Mays from G2 says, “This was certainly one of our more different installations in Papua New Guinea. We had never been to Kokopo but were amazed by the beauty of the landscape and the friendly people we met.”
Xitron develops advanced workflow systems and interfaces to drive the prepress industry’s most popular new, and legacy output devices, prolonging our customers’ investments. In addition, Xitron’s Navigator RIP, Raster Blaster TIFF Catcher, and Sierra Workflow are recognized as prepress standards.
G2PSD offers a wide range of solutions for the printing industry in Australia and Pacific Islands. This includes the Xitron range of rip and workflow solutions, colour management, wide format output devices, plates, inks and general printing consumables.
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