To All: As you know, my recent posts indicated that there is great news for Presstek.
I believe it is my responsibility to release to you what I know, as I would hope you would also do, if you had found the same information.
I have spent the past few days verifying everything as being very factual & truthful and confirming I could legally post information or comment on research that was not yet made public by a Presstek Press Release, which I can assume will soon happen.
The other point being, I do not want to "steal any thunder" belonging to Presstek or cause any advance information being provided to the public which could change or undermine any Presstek plan. The only missing factor is any response, pro or con, from the Presstek Company.
They did not answer my call this morning, so I left a message on recording, informing them of all of my research on what they are doing.....and requested a return call and their comment.
Late this afternoon, after making a follow-up call, I was put through but received no information. Their absolute silence or repeated "no comment" to my questions leads me to believe I may be right on track.
Again, I want all of you to be clear that I am posting this information without any input from the Presstek Company. Even though I tried to ask the same questions in different ways, they continued to decline to comment on ANYTHING I will be posting below. So actually, I have to rely on the sources I have outside the company and vendors I have spoken to that did offer confirmation.
OK, enough teasing, disclaimer, and delay. This information is lengthy and is in a number of parts.....It is under wrap and so far has not been released to the public....IMO, a good reason why Presstek has declined to comment to me on non-public information.
FIRST BOMBSHELL:
Now.....You that hold this stock.....Start thinking "GOLD" as in Presstek "PEARLgold", the name of the brand new "totally processless digital plate" to be announced in DÂsseldorf, Germany at the Imprinta Trade Fair, June 4th - 10th, 1997. IMO, and that of many others, this plate debute at Imprinta to Presstek, is as important an event to the print industry, as any prior technology Presstek has ever developed.
According to "Digital Printing Report", "this new Presstek plate will revolutionize the printing industry. Presstek will be the first-to-market with a true processlesss offset lithographic plate. Exposed in a thermal platesetter, it is mounted on press and is then ready to print. With the acquisition of Catalina Coatings, Presstek is now uniquely positioned to be a major supplier to the $1.6 billion worldwide plate market."
Please understand the word "major"....There is nothing existing that is even close to this technology. It is the ultimate plate!
For example....Prior to the thermal Kodak plate being ready to press, it takes over $50,000 of pre-press processing equiptment that fills a room. This new Presstek plate will eliminate all baking and processing procedures needed to support the Kodak plate.
The run length for a plate will exceed 100,000 per plate. The feelings of those in the industry are, that now a completely processless plate has been developed, many more thermal lasers and platesetters will soon be imaging these Presstek plates. The results will be that many print shops will convert many of their 190,000 sheetfed traditional offset litho presses, to a complete digital workflow. This will improve the productivity of these printing presses, forcing totally digital approaches to the lower end of the market - which is substantial!
This is bigger than anything you have ever imagined for Presstek. Patents and claims are already approved....and protected. You will not find duplication from competition here. Are you getting excited yet?
Well, I have more....
Koenig & Bauer will introduce at the Imprinta show, in arrangement with Heath Custom Press, a new direct imaging press imaging only Presstek Plates!
Also, their will be at least 6 and possibly up to 10 other venders at Imprinta also imaging the new PEARLgold thermal plate on their new imagers! (Previously would only find a couple of companies at a print trade show using Presstek Technology.)
Presstek will make an appearance with their own space...in their own name! (a first) Presstek will be located at Hall 02/Stand: A17 and showing the following:
Computer-to-plate systems
Printing foils and plates for small offset presses.
Offset plates for all processes (analog and digital)
Materials, chemicals, additives.
As most of you know, Linotype-Hell was purchased by Heidelberg. They have developed a small (four-up) platesetter called the "Comet" that will be introduced imaging thermal plates at Imprinta . Who do you think will be supplying the plates? Kodak? Torey? Try PRESSTEK!
The PEARLgold plate will be manufactued at the new Presstek site that will be utilizing the technology and machinary developed by Catalina Coating. Installation of equiptment will begin by September with a production target date of year end or early January.
Now, how will all of this new technology to be introduced using Presstek plates effect this stock. Will the street realize the huge potential profit? Will the true contribution from Presstek which will most certainly advance this industry and turn it upside down with change be recognized? OR....will the street continue to regard Presstek as "flash in the pan" or all "hype" with no substance?
Think a mind or two will change? Want something to do? Take some time and research the resulting effect to the stock after a Presstek Press Release provides information on their new technology at a trade show!
Nothing since the Heidelberg agreement has been so big. What happened after the Imation announcement?
You be the judge....it's your investment....it's your risk.
Good Luck to all of you.....and hope to see you all at the Annual Meeting!
Neil |
