Agfa Graphics and News International agree on a ten-year partnership.

(pr) Agfa Graphics and News International Ltd. have agreed on a ten-year strategic partnership. News International will implement a completely new production model in which Agfa Graphics will assume total responsibility from data reception to finished plates as part of an innovative facility management system. The contractual agreement includes Violet CtP systems, printing plates and company-wide software. Agfa will also provide 24/7 staffing, support, maintenance and technical services for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and News of the World newspapers, with implementation starting in September 2006 at News International's new central European printing facility in Glasgow, Scotland. It will then be rolled out to the Knowsley and Broxbourne sites. Agfa Graphics will supply 20 :Polaris XCV-S high-speed CtP systems for :N91v violet photopolymer plate imaging, complete :Arkitex newspaper workflow solutions with interfaces to Man Roland's PeCOM press controls, the plate processors and the register punching and folding systems. A total of 25 Agfa Graphics engineers and technicians will be available around the clock, seven days a week, to ensure News International has an uninterrupted and timely supply of printing plates. Stefaan Vanhooren, President of Agfa Graphics: "This is the largest contract in the history of our company. But more importantly, this contract brings a new business model to the newspaper industry. It underscores how we can deliver revolutionary value to our partners like no other by bringing together our real-world expertise, holistic solutions approach, innovative digital technologies and services." Ian McDonald, Operations Director of News International Ltd, said: "As part of our pre-press and production planning for our new print sites, we wanted to do more than just buy technology. Rather, we wanted to ensure fail-safe processes from data reception to the printing presses. Agfa Graphics understood our requirements and came up with valuable proposals that more than meet our needs for the next ten years. We are entering this partnership with great optimism."