HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, July 2, 2003 — Farnell Packaging Limited, one of Canada's major manufacturers of flexible packaging and pressure-sensitive labels, has installed AVT's industry-leading automatic inspection systems to maximize productivity on its new Windmoeller & Hoelscher Novoflex gearless press. The installation includes AVT's PrintVision/Pro automatic inspection system with AVT's ABCV - Automatic Bar Code Verification module. AVT's pRegister – an automatic register pre-setting and control system – has also been installed on the new 52-inch, 8 color flexo press, Farnell's first gearless press, and its fourth wide-web in its Polyethylene Division. The company also has three narrow-web presses in its Label Division. Dan Christianson, VP Operations of Farnell Packaging noted, "When we decided to bring in what we consider the "Cadillac” of presses with the latest technology, we also wanted to have the quality control systems that can keep up with it during run time as well as make-ready stage. AVT has both." "The W&H is our first gearless press, and we wanted the most proven inspection system for it," he continued. "We carefully evaluated all the systems on the market, and saw first hand the strong performance of AVT installations on new gearless presses. It was clear that AVT technology was further along than anyone else, and their success in the marketplace is what sold us." Don Farnell, President and Founder of the company 43 years ago, said, "I know that AVT's inspection systems are helping us to advance our production efficiency. On the new press, we have an increased ability to view all details and detect any defect occurrence. That's extremely important with the very fine process printing we do for our customers." Farnell Packaging's customers include many of the leading companies in Atlantic Canada's fishing industry, as well as the extensive bakery, fruit and vegetable industries throughout Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States. Much of Farnell's flexible packaging production is used in frozen food applications. Christianson pointed out that a significant amount of Farnell's production involves short-run work with numerous change-overs. "It's critical for us to reduce the material waste and time that takes," he said. "We print mostly on polyethylene, and some other materials that are even more expensive. With AVT's pRegister on the W&H, we can get a full registration very fast while reducing make-ready waste to a minimum." According to Christianson, Farnell's addition of the advanced capabilities of AVT's inspection and make-ready systems to the new press, is expected to enable the company to reduce costs, enhance its competitiveness and solidify its current business. Christianson says that jobs from a number of new accounts are already lined up to go into production on the press.