Kennesaw, GA March 19, 2003. Esko-Graphics, the graphic arts supplier created in last year’s merger between Barco Graphics NV and Purup-Eskofot A/S, and Dunwoody College of Technology’s (Dunwoody) Graphics and Printing Technologies department announce they have installed PackEdge along with FlexRip for student use at the college. The software will be used to instruct student about packaging-specific workflows, running jobs through the workflow system and sending 1-bit TIFF files from FlexRip, with Esko-Graphics screening, to third-party imagesetters. Minneapolis-based Dunwoody, The Harper Corporation College of the Year for 2002, awards two-year applied science degrees that typically qualify students to receive Flexo 1 or GATF skills certification. Students who are trained to be technicians and operators have won numerous awards for work on web presses. The school has a very successful placement record into local industry, while some students elect to enter their third year of bachelors degree programs. Currently, students who are advanced in Adobe Illustrator in vector class are allowed to work on higher-level vector work on a PackEdge workstation. Students benefit from packaging-specific tasks, such as working with different ink palettes and trapping. SambaFlex, award winning transitional screens for high quality flexo printing combining both traditional and stochastic screening, has allowed students to view different dot shapes on the same piece of film. In the near future, the school intends to connect the workflow system to a digital proofer. "We’re a non-profit institution, yet we pride ourselves in assuring that students work with up-to-date technology. In this light, we appreciate Esko-Graphics’ willingness to donate a significant amount of software," comments Pete Rivard, Dunwoody principal instructor in digital imaging and Minnesota Graphic Arts Educator of the Year. "We hear from the field that companies specifically look for operators with PackEdge and FlexRip experience. We have focused our course of study in packaging and digital printing, and are gratified that our graduates are finding placement with very notable businesses throughout the area." "Of course, we are pleased we can help Dunwoody continue its fine work, and believe we’re helping fill a void in the marketplace by providing capable operators with ‘Esko-Graphics’ on their resumes," Marshall Hogenson, Esko-Graphics account manager. "We are also grateful that Dunwoody has offered to give something back to its donors. We have been invited to use their seminar facilities and conduct product demos for others, whenever we’d like. We also know that Dunwoody conducts printing and graphic design for its industry partners. They have a wonderful program that benefits everyone, but particularly the students."