Eight printers from across the world have been selected by Kodak as the 2016 winners of the company’s Sonora Plate Green Leaf Awards. The program, which first launched in 2014, recognizes customers who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to reduce their environmental impact through a variety of initiatives and best practices. The 2016 Sonora Plate Green Leaf Award Winners are: Reynolds and Reynolds (US), Informco (Canada), Groupe Estimprim (France), Royalpack (Poland), UVO communication (S. Africa), Ohshaika Printing (Japan), Kava Printing (China), NPE Print Communications (Singapore).

All of the printers are users of Kodak Sonora Process Free Plates and are also leaders in their respective markets in integrating sound environmental practices into their operations. These methods include monitoring of energy and water usage, participation in local community sustainability programs and the use of eco-conscious materials and supplies.

“It’s an honor to select eight of our customers to receive this prestigious award. Printers around the world continue to see the real benefits that sustainable printing practices deliver to their bottom lines,” says Richard Rindo, Kodak General Manager, WW Offset Print, and Vice President, Print Systems Division. “From the adoption of Sonora Plates, to streamlining workflows and integrating more environmentally friendly materials, printers are demonstrating that sustainability is good for business and the future of the industry.”

The award is named for Kodak Sonora Process Free Plates, known for yielding dramatic environmental and economic benefits for customers without sacrificing quality and output. Sonora Plates remove the need for the plate processor, which requires chemicals, water, and energy while generating waste. Sonora Plate volumes continued to grow in 2016 in tandem with the industry’s demand for more sustainable printing solutions to address new applications and opportunities, all while increasing profitability. With both economic and environmental sustainability at the forefront of more and more printers’ strategic investments, Kodak predicts this trend to continue and anticipates that 30% of the company’s plate volume will be process free by 2019.

Sonora Plate Green Leaf Award Winners

USA
Reynolds and Reynolds — Founded in 1866 as a business forms printing company, today Reynolds and Reynolds deliver the software, business forms and supplies, and professional services that support all areas of automotive retailing for car dealers and automakers. The company became Kodak’s 1,000th SONORA Plate customer in 2014. As part of the company’s comprehensive environmental strategy, Reynolds places a strong emphasis on recycling. The program, which recycles paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass, wood pallets, electronic components, chemicals, foil, ink and toner cartridges, results in savings of estimated 5,700 cubic yards of landfill space in an average year.

Canada
Informco — For more than 65 years, Informco has been providing integrated communications solutions to clients across a broad range of industries. They provide design, print and distribution services for virtually any type of communication a company may require. For over 18 years, Informco has integrated active environmental practices into its day-to-day operations. ISO-certified since 1999, the company has made significant reductions in energy usage, water consumption, and VOC emissions through rigorous monitoring programs. A leader among its peers, Informco was the first printer in Canada to win the CCME (Canadian Council of the Ministers of the Environment) Pollution Prevention Award in 2002.

France
Groupe Estimprim — Groupe Estimprim’s environmental stewardship is guided by an enterprise-wide sustainability strategy with clear goals that are regularly measured and reinforced through staff training. A member of the France network of the Global Compact, Groupe Estimprim monitors energy usage and uses energy-saving features on their equipment, and uses eco-friendly materials such as vegetable inks, alcohol-free solvents, recycled paper and paper from sustainably managed forests.

Poland
Royalpack — Founded in 2009, Royalpack is now one of the leading printers in Poland for corrugated cardboard packaging. In addition to their use of SONORA Plates to eliminate chemical processing, the company has implemented a range of initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint, including solar energy to heat water, and the company invests in modern machinery to lessen the amount of waste generated during the manufacturing process.

Japan
Ohshaika Printing — Ohshaika Printing has been in operation for over 100 years as a commercial printer, with a focus on package printing. Across its five factories, Ohshaika’s environmental strategy focuses on reducing energy, water, and chemical waste with clearly set measurement goals. As part of the company’s overall plan to reduce energy use, Ohshaika uses renewable energy sources, is ISO14000 certified and with SONORA Plates the company has reduced ink consumption and has zero chemical waste across its operations.

China
Kava Printing —  Founded in 1995, Kava Printing operates a full-service commercial printing operation in mainland China working with a mix of industries, with a significant focus on developing original printing and packaging products for high-end cosmetic brands and instruction manuals for major industrial enterprises. The company’s introduction of SONORA Process Free Plate technology is part of Kava Printing’s plan to strengthen its sustainability profile.

Singapore
NPE Print Communications — NPE is an award-winning commercial printer delivering the full gamut of services to its clients from project consultation and pre-press all the way through to a full range of offset and digital printing and finishing solutions. NPE has long been committed to enhancing its environmental profile. On an ongoing basis, the company has invested in upgrading older machines to more energy-efficient equipment and rigorously monitors energy and consumable use that are tied to annual reduction targets.

South Africa
UVO Communications — In operation for over 25 years, UVO Communications is a level 1 BBBEE print service provider that delivers integrated services to its customers that span both offset and digital printing. A dedicated environmental officer at UVO is responsible for coordinating and measuring the company’s energy and water saving programs and enterprise-wide recycling activities.