KENNESAW, Ga., December 2, 2003 - Heidelberg USA today announced the availability of the printing industry’s first Web-Enabled Remote Service program for prepress products, which is designed to help Heidelberg customers increase uptime and equipment productivity while at the same time reduce operating expenses. The premium service, formally launched at Graph Expo 2003, allows customers to connect to Heidelberg’s Expert Help Desk through access to a secure Service Internet Portal on the web. Key features include: • Real-time visibility: Instantly view your customer’s entire desktop, including applications. • Quick diagnosis: Immediately download patches or updates, test and run applications to ensure proper installation and configuration, or upload customer files for quick analysis. • Customer control: Expert must first request permission and customer must grant it before any action can be performed. • Two-Way desktop control or view: Expert can request view or control of customer’s desktop. He can also show view or allow control of his desktop. • Two-way application sharing: Customers can choose to share selected applications with the Expert to maintain privacy. Expert can also share his own applications to demonstrate products and features to the customer. “This is literally service at your fingertips,” said Richard Mack, launch manager, Heidelberg USA. “Web-Enabled Remote Service not only gives Heidelberg another competitive edge, but it helps our customers stay ahead of their competition. Maintaining the highest level of customer satisfaction with our complete solutions is the most important element of our relationships with them and this new service allows us to continue to meet their high expectations.” Web-Enabled Remote Service is part of a series of new customer support services that Heidelberg created to build upon its renowned level of customer service. Heidelberg’s integrated approach to meeting planned and unplanned parts and service needs is the most comprehensive in the industry and new programs such as Web-Enabled Remote Service are aimed at increasing the productivity and up time of all of its customers. Web-Enabled Remote Service complements Heidelberg’s popular Remote Service program, which delivers electronic diagnosis of Heidelberg presses equipped with the CP2000 Center as well as the ImageControl System without a visit from a technician. If customers have a problem or question about their press, Remote Service lets Heidelberg's technicians help get the press back into production quickly and efficiently. With Remote Service, Heidelberg's experts can check all electronic components that would normally be evaluated during the service call. The problem can then be identified and resolved via remote service. Printers benefit from increased machine availability, fewer on-site service calls and lower costs. The service is so successful that close to two-thirds of service calls can be resolved through remote diagnostics and without a service technician ever visiting the site. “Heidelberg understands that the latest in press equipment demands the best service technology,” Mack said. “Web-Enabled Remote Service is yet another way Heidelberg is helping its customers run more efficient and profitable businesses.”