Lier, Belgium / Boizenburg, Germany, July 2004 -- The shares of basysPrint GmbH have been purchased by Punch International NV. With this acquisition Punch expands its position as a solution provider for the graphic arts industry and enlarges its graphics division consisting of Xeikon International and Strobbe Graphics. Via this integration basysPrint GmbH strengthens its market position and prepares for further future growth. basysPrint GmbH, located in Boizenburg, Germany, developed the technology to expose conventional printing plates by the use of UV-light. This patent-protected technology, CTcP - Computer To conventional Plate, enables the use of conventional printing plates instead of more expensive thermal or violet plates. Today basysPrint is the worldwide technology leader with more than 500 installations. basysPrint already has a strong market share and is one of the main vendors of CTP systems. Furthermore at drupa 2004, sales filled the order books. The Punch International NV sees basysPrint as an ideal addition to its portfolio. Guido Dumarey, CEO of Punch:” This take-over fits in perfectly with our strategy to acquire unique technology. basysPrint was the first and today still is the only one to have proven technology for the CTcP-market. More than 500 units are already installed worldwide. basysPrint’s activities and technology are complementary to those of our CTP daughter company Strobbe Graphics. These two companies will be working closely together.” Friedrich Lüllau, President of basysPrint: “With Punch International basysPrint has found a partner, with which we can strengthen and enlarge our market position. The usable synergies of both companies are very diverse and will bring tremendous benefits to our products and to our customers. This will clearly strengthen our common market position.”