Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.A. - Kodak Polychrome Graphics announced today the full commercialization of orange and green donors for the Kodak Approval XP system. This is a significant step in the progress of digital halftone color proofing. The addition of orange and green donors expands the capabilities of the Approval XP system to include proofing high fidelity six-color process printing. Pantone, Inc. now qualifies the Approval XP system as Hexachrome capable. Approval XP/XP4 users will now be better able to meet their customers growing demand for proofs that accurately reproduce an even wider array of colors that are both more vibrant and subtle. "With the addition of orange and green donors, Approval XP/XP4 customers can move to a new level of color proofing technology," says William L. DeMarco, Worldwide Product Line Manager, Digital Halftone Proofing, Kodak Polychrome Graphics. "Not only can the Approval XP/XP4 now proof Hexachrome six-color process, but the color gamut for spot colors is vastly increased. Orange and green donors make it possible for printers using a multitude of spot colors on one job to confidently proof on a digital halftone color proofing system," DeMarco said. When the orange and green donors are used on an Approval XP or XP4 system equipped with Kodak Approval Recipe Color software, the combination increases the color gamut from thousands to literally millions of spot colors. "The door is now wide open for graphic design, prepress and printing professionals to take advantage of the economic and marketing benefits of the Hexachrome high quality printing process," says Andy Hatkoff, vice president, Electronic Color Systems for Pantone. "The addition of a digital proofing system such as the Kodak Approval XP4 to the roster of color proofing devices already licensed for Hexachrome greatly increases the opportunity for adoption, given the large installed base of Approval XP/XP4 customers." The first digital color halftone proofing system, the Kodak Approval system sets the standard for digital color proofing, and Kodak Polychrome Graphics has continued to upgrade and improve the system based on customer needs. Recipe Color Software received the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation's InterTech Award in 2000, and the Approval XP/XP4 system equipped with Recipe Color was approved as PANTONE CALIBRATED last September. Hexachrome is a high quality, six-color process printing system developed by Pantone, Inc. Its large color gamut makes it possible to accurately reproduce a wide range of colors that can be defined and displayed on computer monitors but which previously could not be duplicated in print. In addition to reproducing more brilliant continuous-tone images, Hexachrome is capable of accurately reproducing more than 90% of the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM¨ Colors, almost twice the number that can be obtained using conventional four-color process printing. Pantone Inc., developer of the globally accepted PANTONE Color Systems, is the leading source of traditional and electronic products for the selection and accurate communication of color. With more than 38 years of experience, Pantone is recognized as the worldwide market leader in color communication and color technology for the graphic design, printing, publishing, textile and plastics industries. More information is available at www.pantone.com.