Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH)
Agfa's software will automate SPH's production of fourteen broadsheet and tabloid newspapers in four languages and drive Agfa's existing film imagesetters. Over a two-month test period, :Arkitex outperformed competitive systems currently in place at SPH and demonstrated that it was more cost efficient and provides greater potential for future expansion.
"It is not a difficult choice to make when the new software is configured to the specific needs of your operation, integrates with what you already have in place and offers substantial cost efficiencies," said Ronnie Poon, vice president of SPH's Prepress Newspaper Services Division. "From the operations, engineering and IT support point of view, it is easier to deal with one single vendor for all the hardware and software of your system. What's more, Agfa offers the best integration expertise and support in our region."
Utusan Melayu Berhad
Malaysian newspaper publisher Utusan Melayu Berhad of Kuala Lumpur will be the first newspaper in the country to fully automate and streamline its entire prepress operations using Agfa's :Arkitex software. :Arkitex will automate all production tasks from front end to plate output, including page pairing, throughput maximisation and automatic adjustment of ink settings. By next year, the system will also link to Utusan's MAN PECOM press control system in Bangi and Prai.
"As we benchmarked :Arkitex against other solutions, we learned that it was the best match for our prepress requirements," said Ali Mustafa, Utusan's IT manager. "The software is extremely user friendly and easy to support. And it has already proved its worth in many installations wordwide."
"We are honoured to be partnering with the leading publishers in South East Asia," said Agfa's general manager for Graphic Systems in the region, Oon Chong Howe. "Their choosing :Arkitex over competitive systems is further evidence that Agfa best understands and serves the requirements of newspaper publishers now and in the future."
About :Arkitex.
:Arkitex is Agfa's powerful workflow system for newspapers. It integrates equipment and production tasks from advertising and editorial to press for reliable operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It uses the most advanced production and communications technologies - PDF, JDF and XML - to deliver flawless data transmission with optimal throughput. It allows newspapers to extend advertising deadlines and manage zoned editions with ease.
About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading imaging companies. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems, intended mainly for the graphics industry, healthcare, micrographics, motion picture and photography markets.
Agfa's headquarters are in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is active in 40 countries and has 120 agents throughout the world. Together they achieved a turnover of 4,215 million euros in 2003.
Product and company information can be found on Agfa's home page on the World Wide Web at: www.agfa.com.
Contact:
Johan Jacobs
Corporate Press Relations Manager
tel.: +32 (0)3 444 80 15
fax: +32 (0)3 444 74 85
