Poland’s Colours Factory Takes a Stand for Literacy
Since the launch of its Print for Good literacy program at drupa in 2016, Kodak has donated tens of thousands of books and school supplies to children in high-needs communities all over the world. This year, Kodak worked closely with its growing network of volunteer printers to create thousands of more pieces to support global literacy efforts. Participating printers used Kodak’s sustainable technology to print and donate original children’s book titles and school notebooks. Those books and school supplies were distributed in different geographies through a variety of on-the-ground partnerships with literacy organizations, schools, and local non-profit groups.
“At Kodak we feel that literacy is a vehicle for us to talk about the value of print in a very tangible way while partnering with a vast network of our print partners and customers to address a critical issue that touches every country on every continent,”
In Poland this year, the Colours Factory joined Kodak’s Print for Good program, printing notebooks for schools in war-torn Ukraine villages, such as Wodiane, Optyne, and Kamionka. Notebooks will also find their way to school children in Iraq with the help of a wonderful organization called Aid to the Church in Need. Colours Factory is one of the biggest and fastest growing commercial printers in Poland, ranked among the top three in the country. They have been a Kodak customer since 2007, using a full suite of Kodak products such as KODAK PRINERGY Software, KODAK INSITE Solutions, KODAK TRENDSETTER Platesetter, a Z-Speed MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter with MCU and KODAK TRILLIAN SP Plates. The Colours Factory has also tested Kodak’s latest addition to its process free plates portfolio - KODAK SONORA X Process Free Plates.
When asked to join Kodak’s Print for Good program, Colours Factory enthusiastically agreed. According to Marketing Manager Klaudia Grzybowska, “At Colours Factory, we believe that all children have a future and deserve to be supported, no matter where they live or from what culture they come. It is the reason we decided to join Kodak in its Print for Good literacy campaign. Enabling education to continue in territories where people regularly face and suffer from warfare is critical to their future.”
“Additionally, in places like Iraq where the level of education is low, we are very proud to help promote literacy among the youngest populations. A lack of writing and reading capabilities makes it impossible to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to become fully integrated into today’s global society, which very often results in unemployment. People end up doing only that which enables them to survive on the simplest possible level. This influences all of society, which becomes less skilled in general and underdeveloped technologically, which is a detriment to growth in today’s world. Thanks to our joint commitment with Kodak, we can give children an invaluable thing - access to the written word and to cultural and scientific goods. We can give them a chance at sustainable development. We can give them a future.”
The Print for Good notebooks sent to Ukraine and Iraq were printed using KODAK SONORA X Process Free Plates. According to Prepress Manager Michal Gras, the workflow was seamless, and the results of the final product were highly satisfactory.
Gras added, “Running SONORA Process Free Plates on the KODAK MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter in our pre-press department made the preparation for printing the notebooks go very smoothly and quickly. Before printing, the press required only minor dampening change, thanks to which the emulsion from the plate was transferred to recycled paper and not to the fount. After a dozen or so prints, the plate was printing good copy and the production process started. The printing itself ran without problems and did not differ at all from printing with conventional processed plates. For prospective users of SONORA X, I would say the plate-making process is clean, fast and pleasant. Moreover, the result of the final product will satisfy the most demanding customers.”
Kodak is proud to partner with the Colours Factory for its contributions to global literacy and for choosing Kodak’s sustainable technology to print and donate thousands of school supplies. Their efforts will help enrich the lives of individuals in Ukraine and Iraq, while also enhancing the economic vitality of the communities around them.