Kodak celebrates 20 years of game-changing process free plates – greener, more efficient and more stable offset printing

2024 marks Kodak‘s 20-year anniversary as the first and longest-running manufacturer and supplier of true process free printing plates in the world. The current KODAK SONORA XTRA Process Free Plate is the result of Kodak’s continued efforts to drive the sustainable transformation of plate technology through extensive investment in materials research and plate formulation development. With the SONORA XTRA Plate, Kodak has taken the benefits of its process free technology to an unprecedented level, making the switch from wet processed to process free plates even easier for printers with faster imaging speeds, stronger image contrast and improved handling robustness.

2 decades of innovation and continuing success

After extensive and successful beta testing in 2004, Kodak launched its first commercially successful process-free plate, the KODAK THERMAL DIRECT Non Process Plate, in 2005. It was succeeded in 2012 by the KODAK SONORA XP Process Free Plate, the first generation of SONORA Plates. In 2014, Kodak reached a significant growth milestone by welcoming the 1,000^th print shop to the SONORA Plate user base. By 2019, the number of SONORA Plate users had grown to over 4,000 printers, and today more than 6,000 sheetfed and web offset printers around the world rely on SONORA Plates.

SONORA Process Free Plates are the smart choice for printers looking to improve their sustainability credentials as well as reduce costs in both prepress and the pressroom without compromising print quality or productivity. They eliminate defects and variability associated with traditional plate processing that can provoke press stops and plate remakes. SONORA Plates ensure faster and more reliable press makereadies with less waste and reduce job turnaround times thanks to the faster route from prepress to press. In addition, they help create a healthier and safer working environment for employees.

Regional manufacturing for reliability of supply and improved sustainability

Users of SONORA Plates also benefit from the fact that Kodak manufactures the plates in state-of-the-art plants in Japan, the USA and Germany from responsibly sourced, high-quality aluminum and other raw materials in compliance with high sustainability and quality standards. Plate manufacturing in various regions of the world ensures that printers are supplied with high-quality SONORA Plates reliably, quickly and with the smallest possible carbon footprint for transportation.

“We are delighted to be celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Kodak’s process free plates this year. I am proud that we have been able to advance this efficient and sustainable plate technology thanks to the innovation of our R&D teams and our tireless pursuit of excellence,” said Mr. Jim Continenza, Executive Chairman and CEO, Kodak. “Today, KODAK SONORA XTRA Process Free Plates set the standard in the print marketplace, and we will continue to invest in our unmatched process free technology for the benefit of printers around the world.”

Kodak will highlight the 20^th anniversary of its process free plate technology at the drupa 2024 trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

Covered By: Imaging Solution / Kodak

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