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Xerox Unveils FreeFlow, Workflow Strategy, Systems, Solutions

Press release from the issuing company

ON DEMAND 2003 NEW YORK--April 7, 2003-- Saying its new workflow strategy is "more important than any single product announcement," Xerox Corporation today unveiled a collection of offerings that will help print providers simplify work processes, attract new business, and better manage print jobs all the way from the initial order to the final invoice. The new initiative provides print professionals with an efficient and simplified set of offerings called the Xerox FreeFlow Digital Workflow Collection, based on open standards. Sharing the stage at On Demand 2003 - a major digital printing and publishing conference - are new and enhanced Xerox digital printing products, services and solutions that can help print providers generate profit opportunities in personalized printing, book publishing, and other high-growth printing areas. Xerox rolled out multiple high-speed continuous-feed presses and wide-format printers, and introduced enhancements to its industry-leading DocuColor line of digital presses. The company reported that the DocuColor 6060 and 2000 Series presses have surpassed 7,500 installs worldwide, making them the best-selling systems in their class. In 2002, Xerox regained its No. 1 U.S. marketshare position in the production color arena with 48 percent share, according to recently released figures by the independent research firm IDC. Production color reflects IDC data on high-end color systems and color copiers operating at 41 pages per minute and above. "Today, the quality and content of output from digital printing equipment often equals or surpasses traditional offset processes," said Gil Hatch, president, Xerox Production Systems Group. "The real challenge that digital print providers face today is the business challenge: How can they improve and integrate the digital path through the print shop to optimize quality and efficiency? "Our focus on workflow is more important than any single product announcement. It's a comprehensive road map to continuing success for Xerox and our customers," Hatch added. The Xerox FreeFlow Digital Workflow Collection is an evolving set of software and other offerings designed with industry-standard workflow technologies and open interfaces. It will allow print shops to integrate the hardware and software components they choose - both from Xerox and other partners - to create one seamless process for start-to-finish management of print jobs, from creating content to printing address labels to generating invoices. It's aimed at helping print providers shave costs associated with non-printing activities, such as ordering and billing, which can account for a high percentage of their overall expenses. New Xerox workflow offerings combine solutions from Xerox with those from other industry leaders such as Creo and Electronics for Imaging (EFI). "With its legacy as a digital printing pioneer, its vast knowledge about vertical markets and industry-specific print applications, and its many industry partners, Xerox is uniquely positioned to deliver a fully-integrated digital printing workflow," said Ron Gilboa, director, On Demand Printing & Publishing, CAP Ventures. The workflow announcement anchored Xerox show news, which included a series of new and enhanced production printing systems: -- Two continuous-feed digital printers, the DocuPrint 850 and DocuPrint 425, both printing at 195 feet per minute. -- Two wide-format digital printers for commercial reprographic, engineering, manufacturing and utility company applications: the Synergix Print System 721p, 30 percent faster than any competitive product, and the Synergix Print System 510dp. -- Enhanced finishing and controller capabilities for the Xerox DocuColor 6060 and Xerox DocuColor 2000 Series of Digital Color Presses, including two new controller software releases Xerox DocuSP 3.7 and Creo Spire CXP6000 version 3.0 -- and the Horizon Color Works 2000 Booklet Maker. In addition, Xerox announced new software, solutions and partnerships: -- The Xerox Lightweight Paper Booklet Factory prints books with thinner, lighter paper and enables printers to put nearly double the pages into books. -- The Xerox Large Format Manual+Book Factory expands the capability to produce popular 6" x 9" perfect-bound publications at lower costs and quantities than on offset equipment. -- EFI will offer the Fiery Q4500 production-class server for Xerox's DocuColor iGen3 Digital Production Press, enabling iGen3 users to access a full range of EFI open workflow solutions and components. -- Xerox has joined the Networked Graphic Production Partner Program, a Creo initiative for integrated production workflow processes. -- Xerox has two new agreements with leading providers of software and technology solutions, 1stlegal and Kofax. The combined offerings enhance Xerox Global Services' document, content and imaging operations. As Xerox Business Partners, 1stlegal and Kofax will leverage Xerox's digital imaging and storage capabilities into their respective client bases. Kicking off the show this morning, Ursula M. Burns, president of Xerox Business Group Operations, presented the 2003 RIT Isaiah Thomas Award in Publishing to Arthur Sulzberger Jr., chairman of The New York Times Co. The award is sponsored by Xerox and granted annually by Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Print Media, recognizing outstanding contributions made to the publishing industry. Customer Contact: For more information about Xerox digital systems, visit www.xerox.com.

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