The American Press in Lake Charles, La., completed installation of its computer-to-conventional plate UV plate imaging system purchased from alfaQuest Technologies.

The newspaper installed the FasTrak CTP/C platesetter, which exposes conventional UV sensitive offset plates.

The CTP/C throughput is 75 plates per hour and can image broadsheet newspapers pages at a resolution of 1016 dots per inch. American Press also installed the 350-plate-capacity TrakMate autoloader, which allows for automatic slip-sheet removal between plates from 12-by-15 inches up to 24.625-by-38 inches.

www.alfaquest.com

The Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner purchased classified pagination and layout systems from Software Consulting Services LLC. The newspaper will implement SCS/ClassPag for classified pagination and Layout-8000 for display ad dummying. Layout-8000 replaces an SII Interactive Ad Layout dummying system.

www.newspapersystems.com

Brehm Communications Inc. of San Diego has licensed Publishing Business Systems’ MediaPlus financial management and human resources applications for its daily and weekly publications. Brehm Communications has more than 50 daily, weekly, semi-weekly and tri-weekly newspapers and shoppers. Its publications are located in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada and Utah.

PBS also sold ad management software to The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Ill., and The Courier in Lincoln, Ill.

www.pbs.com

Kodak Polychrome Graphics’ Matchprint Virtual Proofing system received SWOP certification. Matchprint virtual proofs were compared visually with SWOP-certified press sheets and numerically with the detailed data in KPG’s SWOP application data sheet. Each Matchprint Virtual Proof system includes a tool to measure color bars or patches on-screen and to confirm the proof conforms to color specifications in KPG’s Matchprint Virtual Proof ADS.

www.kpgraphics.com

Phoenix Newspapers Inc. selected RouteScience PathControl to control the cost of its network connectivity. PathControl uses patent-pending technology to manage corporate wide access network connectivity and e-business applications. Phoenix Newspapers said PathControl will automate control of the newspaper’s network connections, distribute traffic to the lowest cost link and reduce bandwidth costs.

www.routescience.com

Agfa released the Apogee Raster Blaster, a data conversion system that allows Apogee prepress automation software to output to more than 100 non-Agfa devices. The system includes Apogee Raster Blaster processing software pre-installed on a PC platform.

Apogee Raster Blaster lets users preview, monitor and control each job. It takes 1-bit color-separated raster data from ApogeeX, the Apogee PDF RIP or Apogee PrintDrive and sends it to any non-Agfa imagesetter or platesetter.

Apogee Raster Blaster configures into any computer-to-plate or computer-to-film workflow. Apogee’s TIFF-OUT option makes data conversion possible with a direct interface to the Apogee Raster Blaster, or through an interface with the Apogee PDF RIP or the Apogee PrintDrive output manager.

www.agfa.com

Corel Corp. released Corel XMetaL 4, which extends XML content editing to most Windows applications, including e-mail and Web browsers.

www.corel.com

Fusion Systems International released DigiPage, its ROOM (rendor once, output many) workflow system. The software generates a set of production workflow files and allows work to be rendered once. DigiPage files can be used independently or in conjunction with any open prepress interface applications.

www.fusionsystems.com

International Typeface Corp. released the ITC Designer Collection, a package of 200 fonts. Text designs range from the four-font ITC Bailey Sans family to the three-weight ITC Barcelona set. Script designs vary from formal to casual with faces such as ITC Isadora and ITC Clover. The product includes licensing for five users and is available for $999.

www.itcfonts.com

Krause CTP and alfaQuest Technologies Inc. formed a strategic marketing alliance for the Krause newspaper computer-to-plate systems LSJet and LSJet 300. alfaQuest will market the platesetters under the name alfaJet 200 and alfaJet 300.

The alfaJet will be equipped with either the 532 nm YAG laser or the violet laser diode to image silver or photopolymer printing plates. The alfaJet is capable of producing up to 300 broadsheet plates per hour with one laser/optic only.

www.alfaquest.com

www.krause.de

Dynagram released its latest version of DynaStrip 4.0 for Macintosh. DynaStrip 4.0 allows users to operate in OS X, OS 9 and Classic modes. In addition, DynaStrip 4.0’s OS X compatibility allows users to use the multi-tasking capabilities of OS X and supports JDF standards.

www.dynagram.com

The Eau Claire Press Co., purchased Advanced Technical Solutions Inc.’s MediaDesk editorial system for the Leader-Telegram in Eau Claire, Wis. and The Country Today, an agricultural newspaper circulated in Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois.

The installation of the 50-seat MediaDesk system is underway at the Leader-Telegram with tight database integration of QuarkXPress for page layout and pagination.

www.atsusa.com

The News-Journal Corp., owners of the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News Journal, placed an order for 26 additional Mactive AdBase licenses for retail and accounts receivable. The newspaper also purchased an interface to the Burt preprint production system. In October of 2000, The News Journal Corp. purchased a 40-seat AdBase system for classified ad input and classified pagination.

www.mactive.com