Kodak saw the volume of Sonora process free plates in the market grow by 50 percent in 2015, driven by increasing industry demanding for sustainable printing.

Sonora plate production facilities are located in the USA, Europe and China, serving more than 3,000 customers worldwide. Kodak said this global footprint has allowed customers across the world to realize the economic and environmental benefits of Sonora plates, which deliver the print capabilities and productivity of mainstream plates without the processing and chemistry.

While process free plates are most closely associated with sheet fed applications, Kodak said customers are also reporting significant benefits from the use of Sonora plates in new and innovative ways. These include web-fed applications, where Sonora plates are rated for run lengths of up to 200,000 impressions, along with large format (VLF) applications including posters and printed display board. Sonora plates are rated for up to 50,000 impressions for offset packaging applications and up to 10,000 impressions for short run UV printing.

Kodak anticipates further consistent growth worldwide following the announcement of new Sonora plates suitable for UV printing, to be introduced at drupa 2016. Designed to meet the rigorous demands of UV print applications increasingly used by today’s packaging and commercial printers, the new addition to the Sonora portfolio will enable printers to take advantage of the expanded set of opportunities associated with UV technology, including flexibility and durability, high print quality, and faster drying times, according to Kodak.

‘We continue to invest in R&D to provide new, innovative plate solutions for our worldwide customer base that deliver on our commitment to sustainability, productivity and image quality,’ said Brad Kruchten, president of Kodak’s print systems division. ‘The continued adoption of Sonora plates around the world underscores the industry’s demand for more sustainable printing solutions to address new applications and opportunities, all while increasing profitability.’