Hudson, NH – April 10, 2008 – Presstek Inc., the leading manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing business solutions, today announced that Southwest Precision Printers, L.P. the largest independent, family-owned commercial printer in Houston, Texas, has acquired a Presstek 52DI digital offset press to augment its printing production portfolio, consisting of a high volume, ultra short-run digital press, five small presses and three 40-inch conventional offset sheetfed presses.

"By adding the Presstek 52DI to our operation, we will be able to more efficiently produce high quality four-color printing in the 2,000 to 10,000 quantity range," said Tim Tully, President of Southwest Precision Printers. "By moving this work from our 40-inch presses to the DI, we are adding capacity on the 40-inch presses for longer run, larger format projects that are more suited to those presses.  At the same time, we see significant opportunity to solicit new work from our customers made possible by the DI press."  Tully also plans to utilize the DI press to produce four-color letter-size envelope. "This is a growth market," he adds.  "We have been outsourcing this product, and with the DI, will now be able to produce them ourselves."

Presstek DI presses offer a competitive advantage in the fastest growing segment of the short-run on-demand print market. Job profitability is 13 percent higher on a DI press compared to a conventional press, and compared to a production color toner-based digital device; the DI press saves 50 percent on average per letter-size page, according to research firm InfoTrends. Easy-to-use DI presses produce more jobs in less time with their highly automated functions, waterless press design, and operating speed of up to 20,000 letter-size pages per hour-offering all-digital workflow efficiency with offset printing versatility and quality.

"Southwest Precision Printers is a good example of the commercial printer who has adopted the business strategy for the future-hybrid print production," said Jeff Jacobson, Presstek's President and CEO.  "Presstek DI presses, in conjunction with an ultra-short run digital device and conventional press, empower the printer to choose the right tool for the right job, which increases efficiency while delivering profitable results.  I believe that all printers should evaluate the opportunity that DI presses can bring to their business." 

As an environmentally responsible printer, Southwest Precision Printers was also attracted by the chemistry-free imaging and waterless printing process offered by the Presstek 52DI.  "This capability is something we will be heavily promoting to our customers," said Tully.  "Anything we can do to make our printing process more environmentally sustainable is good for our business, good for our customers and a competitive advantage for us in the marketplace."

For more information about Presstek, DI presses and environmentally friendly printing, visit www.presstek.com or email: [email protected] or call 1-800-524-0003, ext. 3599 (1-603-594-8585, ext. 3599 from outside the United States).