How much for a set of plates and makeready?

[EyeTech]

Just wondering really - how much does your company charge for a set of cmyk plates and a setup for 26" / SRA2 press?

Hourly rate for the press would be interesting too.

At our company it's 80.00gbp for plates and 60.00gbp for the makeready

[Sparky]

I guess your topic is going nowhere, so I'll chime in with what we charge for a 12 x 18 Ryobi, using a PlateStream platesetter (our cost $8 USD per) and processing time and make-ready I believe it was about just under $100. Our charge for a minimum run of 4/color business cards (250) was $121, which was about 30 min. on press (taking in to account it was a 2/color press, drying time between colors, etc.)

Breaking the cost down to just plates and makeready is difficult at best. The press I run now (Presstek 34DI) can produce a set of 4/color plates and make-ready in less than 15 min., and run 1,000 shts in about 8 min. (1 pass, using 12 x 18 80# gloss text) then to burn another set of plates and do a sheet-wise back-up, figure another 25 minutes. The end result can net you 2,000 8.5 x 11 3-panel brochures for around $340. Even if we do a work/tumble and use just one set of plates there is still a waiting period for ink drying of about 15-20 minutes, but at least the plate cost is down ($40 for a set of 4/color plates).

On your press, I would assume your talking conventional plate burning, processing, mounting on press, etc. Take into account the amount of time it takes and material cost, figuring a 30-40% mark-up on cost and what the hourly production rate of a press like that can produce, and do the math.

[EyeTech]

Our platemaking is via CTP (AGFA + ApogeeX), a set of plates gets output inside 10 mins, on press and in position in 6 mins (Komori + auto plate up), usually 2 runs of 50 sheets to get up to colour on straightforward work like flyers etc and we're running.

Our hourly rate is 110GBP (around 200$) at an average run speed of 10,000 impressions per hour.

I suppose the lack of response from other members may be down to pre-press or pressroom staff not being aware of the component costs involved (no reason why they should unless they estimate the jobs too) but thanks for your input.

[hagar_uk]

Just wondering really - how much does your company charge for a set of cmyk plates and a setup for 26" / SRA2 press?

Hourly rate for the press would be interesting too.

At our company it's 80.00gbp for plates and 60.00gbp for the makeready

I don't work in a print company but work in a company that supplies many of them,  most are running SM52 or GTO type presses and in passing conversations, hourly charge is usuallt £120-£150