Vandalia, OH – September 29, 2004 – Esko-Graphics announces it will feature new and innovative Computer-to-Plate and workflow solutions for commercial printers as well as workflows and a digital flexo imager for packaging during Graph Expo, October 10-13, at McCormick Place South, Chicago, IL. At booth 4017, Esko-Graphics will demonstrate its new SCOPE workflow solutions for commercial printing along with three new platesetters in their North American trade show debuts: the Espresso 4-up Computer-to-UV-Plate (CtUP), the PlateDriver Compact 4-up violet, and the DPX 4 4-up polyester platesetters. Esko-Graphics will also demonstrate market-leading prepress solutions for packaging: its SCOPE workflow for packaging applications and a CDI Spark XT flexo imager. Esko-Graphics solutions will be presented at the Esko-Graphics booth as well as partner booths in the hall. “Esko-Graphics will continue to provide commercial print solutions in the areas where we see the most growth – concentrating on SCOPE workflow software, and on smaller format CtP devices. Graph Expo will also reveal a refocus on our distribution network, where there will be Esko-Graphics devices at reseller booths,” comments Simon James, Esko-Graphics North America executive vice president and general manager. “Besides our new commercial printing approach, packaging remains our major flagship today. We have earned an industry reference position with unique value-adding packaging solutions. To that end we will show packaging workflow and flexo digital imaging solutions that are leaders in their respective segments.” SCOPE workflow for commercial printing Graph Expo is the venue for the first major U.S. demonstration of SCOPE configured for commercial printing, Esko-Graphics most advanced workflow environment. Esko-Graphics’ fully network and web enabled Scope workflow manages multi-site, distributed design and production workflows. Scope links traditional prepress functions with sales, pressroom, finishing and logistics departments: JDF links provide functions like job scheduling, remote viewing/approval, and plateroom feedback. Project coordination, digital asset management and distributed proofing and approval enable partners to collaborate globally in real time. Esko-Graphics Espresso Computer-to-UV-Plate (CtUP) system The Esko-Graphics Espresso is a revolutionary Computer-to-UV-Plate (CtUP) system, exposing most conventional UV-plates. Printers using a film-based workflow can easily and safely migrate to CtUP with a limited investment, facilitating a parallel CtF/CtUP operation. Printers can continue to use the same plates they are already familiar with on press. Esko-Graphics Espresso is a 2- and 4-up platesetter, imaging plates 25” x 29.3” to 12.8” x 19.1”. At 2400 dpi resolution - sufficient for screen rulings up to 200 lpi – the Espresso can image up to thirteen 4-up UV plates/hour in normal light conditions. With high-sensitivity UV plates, it is possible to image up to twenty 4-up plates/hour. New PlateDriver Compact 4-up violet CtP platesetter Esko-Graphics will demonstrate its new 4-up PlateDriver Compact CtP system, aimed at smaller printers looking for entry into CtP at a very affordable price tag. The PlateDriver Compact has an internal drum design to assure the highest possible geometric and registration accuracy and perfect dot quality. Its 40mW violet laser is equally suited to expose silver and photopolymer plates. Violet CtP technology offers numerous advantages, including lower total cost–of-ownership, longer laser life cycle and convenient yellow safelight handling for plate loading. The system integrates with an existing pre-press workflow or can be implemented with Esko-Graphics’ dedicated workflow solution. DPX 4: Reliable DPX 4 polyester platesetter Esko-Graphics announces the North American launch of the high performance 4-up polyester DPX 4 platesetter, an extension of the popular DPX series. Its high-precision internal drum features faster, highly accurate throughput, reducing make-ready time on the press. Producing imaged, processed, punched, dried and cut-to-size press-ready plates as large as 26.77” x 29.90”, the DPX 4 is able to expose plates at any resolution between 1200 and 3000 dpi. Innovations in packaging workflow and flexo imaging Esko-Graphics will draw attention to packaging applications, demonstrating its Scope for Packaging and the Cyrel Digital Imager (CDI) Spark XT. Esko-Graphics has its historic roots in pre-production software, providing expert tools required for consistent volume reproduction of a design – both graphic and structural. Scope pushes workflow coverage both upwards and downwards into the supply chain. Scope covers a wide range of functions, from job and product specification, through graphic and structural design and expert pre-production operations, to platemaking for printing and toolmaking for converting. The Spark XT is a member of the award winning CDI flexo platesetter family, imaging digital photopolymer plates up to 48” x 35” – the most popular flexo plate format. The CDI Spark XT is available in three versions with imaging speeds from 16 to 43 square feet per hour and supports resolutions of 2,000-4,000 dpi, freely selectable from job to job. CDI Spark XT has a built-in plate loading/unloading table and EasyClamp to easily apply and hold down plates up to .250 thousandths thickness on the drum.