Plate volumes are returning to pre Covid levels, at least for Kodak and Agfa, according to the latest figures from the three major plate suppliers. Fujifilm says that plate volumes in south east Asia remain depressed by restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid.
However, for Kodak, the return to pre Covid volumes, driven by the Sonora process-free plates, is also about gaining market share. CEO Jim Continenza says: “Our growth [in plates] is also coming from new customer growth. We are seeing our customer base grow in plates.”
In Q3 Sonora plate volumes increased 35% and were helped by the roll out of the Sonora Xtra, which covers a greater range of applications than previous generations. This contributed to a revenue of $287 million for the quarter, up from $252 million in 2020. Ebitda moved into the black with a return of $6 million compared to a loss of $1 million at this point last year.
The return to normality was seen in Prosper annuities, which rose 17% compared to last year, though the lack of capital equipment sales mean that the digital division reported sales of $58 million, up just $2 million from last year. In contrast, the litho division rose $20 million to $166 million, though rising raw material and distribution costs kept Ebitda at $5 million.
The Advanced Material division reported a rise to revenue of $55 million ($44 million), while Continenza noted that “we are seeing a resurgence in our film business and are increasing capacity of our film factory”. And while adding that “we’re well aware of the challenging times ahead of us” he says: “We’re happy with the third-quarter results.”
Agfa’s plate business has also picked up. Its offset division reported a 14.5% increase in sales to €192 million (€168 million) and turned an Ebitda loss of €7 million to a positive €2.5 million. Plans to separate the division are continuing on track and will be finalised by April next year. This includes the streamlining of the product range.
Its digital and chemicals division experienced an 18.9% increase in sales to €82 million (€69 million) thanks to a return to events and exhibitions increasing demand for large format printers and inks. There has also been a growth in demand for inks for industrial applications such as floor laminates and decor.
Fujifilm increased its revenue from printing plates thanks to what it calls online negotiations, though not enough to offset the continuing impact of Covid in Asian markets. Demand for its inkjet heads remained steady, it says.
