Toray appoints Arets Graphics as distributor of Imprima waterless offset plates in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Arets Graphics was founded in 1993 and has been partnering with Toray for about seven years. Toray waterless plates are negative working, non-ablative, thermal plates that utilize traditional printing presses equipped with ink temperature control systems to effectively print on paper, plastics and other substrates without dampening solutions.

Alexander Kuklovský, managing director at Arets Graphics, said: ‘I have been familiar with Toray since the 1980s, when I was in university, and have been following developments since then. I believe Imprima plates take waterless technology to the next level in terms of quality. They are ideal for the production of labels for luxury products such as wines and cosmetics where quality is essential. And, of course, they offer benefits to newspaper printers, especially for the growing number of local publications that are looking for higher quality and more color while keeping costs in line.

‘I am also pleased that these plates are being manufactured here in the Czech Republic, making it faster and easier for me to acquire inventory without the need to keep excessive stock on hand. Imprima plates are a terrific solution for waterless offset printers who are looking for market differentiation and the new applications these plates enable, such as labels, security cards, newspapers and of course all high quality prints.’

Arets Graphics partners with UK-based waterless ink specialist Classic Colours in addition to its close relationship with Toray in the Czech Republic. ‘Between the two companies, we have access to the best waterless offset experts, helping us to both gain new customers and educate existing customers about the benefits of waterless,’ continued Kuklovský.

‘In addition to the environmental and quality benefits, waterless printing brings more ease of use to offset printing. In my experience, 90 percent of all problems in offset printing are caused by the water used in traditional fountain solutions and finding the right fountain solution for your particular application. Sometimes these issues can take months to resolve. With waterless, those issues go away.’

Mitsunori Hayashi, sales general manager at Toray, said: ‘We are pleased to be extending our relationship with Arets Graphics, a long-term partner and reliable supplier to the industry. By adding Toray Imprima plates to the mix, Arets will be able to expand its market reach in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. We also appreciate all of their efforts in helping to educate the market on the benefits of waterless offset printing.’