SAN DIEGO, Sept. 25 ENCAD, Inc. reaffirmed its position as a leader of digital wide-format printing solutions today with the introduction of its new NovaJet 880, a hybrid eight-color, wide-format printer, priced at $18,995 (MSRP). The NovaJet 880 is a new class of hybrid roll "flatbed'' printer that uniquely allows printing on flexible and rigid media, up to a 1/2 inch (12.7mm) thick. The versatile 60-inch NovaJet 880 prints on any traditional or rigid substrate that has an inkjet receptive coating. Scheduled for a first customer shipment of mid-November, the NovaJet 880 enjoys all of the color, flexibility, and speed attributes of the award- winning NovaJet 850 while advancing the technology to produce superior image quality graphics on a wider variety of substrates. The NovaJet 880 is being shown the first time at the Seybold-San Francisco 2001 trade show. To accept thick substrates, the new NovaJet 880 includes an easy-to-use, Media Thickness Handle that enables users to manually adjust the printer's head-height. A Media Thickness Sensor helps the user fine tune the head- height for the best possible print clearance and image quality. The NovaJet 880 incorporates a new Double Drop(TM) print technology that doubles the number of ink droplets and boosts the ink saturation level on absorbent, porous substrates. The NovaJet 880 is also equipped with a new rotating Dynamic Thermal Drying System(TM) (DTD(TM)) that enables users to position the thermal dryer in a vertical position to optimize moisture evaporation on both rigid and flexible media. "The NovaJet 880 truly establishes a new paradigm in wide-format printing,'' stated Terry Vandewarker, President & CEO, ENCAD, Inc. "Users printing on rigid substrates will see immediate work-flow and job cost savings with the elimination of mounting expenses and labor.'' ENCAD customers expected to take advantage of the NovaJet 880's dynamic new features to produce consistent, stunning results include: digital artists, photo labs, photo enlargement professionals, sign makers, exhibit shops, and graphic professionals of all kinds. Examples of flexible media that can be used include heavy art papers, thick canvas, and fabric banner materials. Rigid substrates such as foam board, art board, poster board, card stock and inkjet coated aluminum can all be used with the NovaJet 880. RIGID MEDIA KIT A Rigid Media Kit can be attached to the NovaJet 880, in a matter of minutes, to assist the user with the feeding and drying of the rigid media. The kit includes several distinctive plates and rollers that guide, flatten, and load the media into the printer. Special brackets allow the NovaJet 880's Dynamic Thermal Dryer to be rotated into a vertical position thus optimizing the dryer's automatic sensors which detect variations in the media's surrounding temperature and humidity. The NovaJet 880 also prints on rolls of flexible media while the Rigid Media Kit is attached. The 60-inch NovaJet 880 effortlessly handles industry-standard 48-inch rigid boards and larger, as well as cut sheets as narrow as 11 inches. Additionally, the NovaJet 880 operates with inexpensive, commercially available, support tables, stands, or trays to support the substrate while printing. This flexibility allows the NovaJet 880 printer to be strategically positioned near a wall or in a location that optimizes valuable production space, versus the larger more expensive flatbed printers that require much larger operational and storage areas. Support tables or roller stands may be used at the user's discretion, and aren't always necessary for smaller boards and sheets. MEDIA AND SUBSTRATE AVAILABILITY The NovaJet 880 features eight print heads and eleven ink configurations, offering users a wide range of application possibilities. Eight-color ink sets include Graphic Standard PLUS(TM) (GS PLUS(TM)) high-gamut indoor dye- based ink, Graphic Extend(TM) (GX(TM)) lightfast indoor dye-based ink, and Graphic Outdoor(TM) (GO(TM)) an indoor/outdoor pigment-based ink. Designed for the NovaJet 880 and 850, these ink sets are offered in Ultra-Fi(TM) and Octachrome(TM) eight-color ink configurations, featuring ENCAD's high- performance CMYK inks, plus multiple dilution combinations in addition to orange and green for maximum color gamut and smooth tonal gradations. When combined with ENCAD's comprehensive line of fourteen indoor and outdoor media, customers enjoy a scientifically tested solution that offers the industry's lowest cost-per-square-foot expense and longest warranty guarantee. International Paper, the world's largest paper and forest products company, is introducing JetPrint Board(TM), the latest addition to its JetMount board line, a new category of foam boards designed specifically to meet the rigors of digital imaging. Just like original JetMount, JetPrint Board features a full 1/4 inch of extruded polystyrene foam laminated between 11-point paper liners. However, in JetPrint Board, these liners feature a proprietary surface coating that allows the product to readily accept inkjet printing, producing vivid color and high-resolution image quality. International Paper will provide a coupon redeemable for one complimentary carton of 32-inch by 40-inch sheets of JetPrint Board with the first 400 NovaJet 880 printers purchased. All other NovaJet 880 printers purchased through Dec. 31, 2002 will include a coupon worth $50 off the purchase of either one carton of 32-inch by 40-inch sheets of JetPrint Board or one carton of 40-inch by 60-inch sheets of JetPrint Board. (Purchases of both the NovaJet 880 printer and JetPrint Board must be completed by Dec. 31, 2002; and International Paper must receive all coupons for redemption by Jan. 25, 2003.) International Paper manufactures and sells several leading lines of graphic arts boards, including original Fome-Cor, Gatorfoam and JetMount boards. Hahnemuhle, Inc., a leader in digital fine art media, is introducing five new media for its Digital Fine Art Collection. All the products, including several Photo Art Boards and double-sided Photo Rag Papers, are coated for inkjet printing and designed specifically for the Digital Imaging professional. These products will be available for the first NovaJet 880 shipment in Mid-November.