Plate vendors Agfa and Fujifilm will launch new long-run plates this month.

Fujifilm’s Brillia PRO-VN2 is the newspaper-focussed latest offering in its ‘low chemistry’ range, while Agfa will introduce a new Energy Xtra thermal plate at GraphExpo.

Fujifilm says the PRO-VN2 is a more robust version of its PRO-VN suitable for longer run applications of up to 300,000 impressions. The company says it has solved the problem of achieving high run lengths when using a simple low chemistry finishing process by developing a new binder and dispersion technology, and by improving production techniques at manufacturing plant.

Brillia PRO-VN2 is also more resistant to chemicals and thus able to be used in a wider range of conditions. Additional or enhanced benefits include more environmentally friendly and simpler processing, easier maintenance of the finishing unit, less waste produced, and no pH control required. Fujifilm says it is easily changeable from the current photopolymer system.

Agfa’s :Energy Xtra positive working, no-bake plate will be launched at GraphExpo. It offers up to 600,000 impressions without baking, and longer when baked.

The company says its robust coating composition and the quality grade aluminum substrate give it high mechanical resistance to harsh substrates typically found in long run commercial web applications. By eliminating pre-heat and post-bake requirements, significantly reduces both platemaking time and energy, resulting in substantial cost savings.

Graining technology also gives it wide latitude and stable ink/water balance on press.

Agfa says the Energy Xtra plate will be available the first quarter of 2013.