IPEX: Agfa, Xeikon, AO, Purup-Eskofot get set.(products and strategies to be unveiled at IPEX '98 in Birmingham, UK) (Industry Trend or Event)

Inter-company deals abound

This is the season for announcing products and strategies to be unveiled at IPEX '98, Sept. 22-29 in Birmingham, UK. Here are highlights from recent disclosures.

Agfa: Apogee, MAN Roland deal

Agfa didn't announce any new products, but it talked a lot about strategy, which include heavy focus on its Apogee PDF workflow system. First, Apogee will support the Krause LaserStar CTP system for handling very large formats. The LaserStar will be integrated into the Apogee workflow using the Krause plate buffer and will support both PostScript and PDF workflows.

Second, Agfa said its final Apogee module, the Pilot, is nearly ready for release. It reviewed its system pricing plans.

Perhaps the most interesting new announcement by Agfa, though, is a cooperative arrangement with MAN Roland relating to the latter's development of an on-press imaging …