FOSTER CITY, Calif.-- EFI, the world leader in digital controllers, superwide format printers and inks, and print management solutions, will showcase at Graph Expo (Oct. 15-18, Chicago's McCormick Place) its latest generation industry-leading solutions that help customers thrive in the dynamic, demanding print industry. Innovative EFI solutions and increased connectivity options shown at the company's booths 4212 and 4273, and in partners' booths throughout the exhibition, range from the most powerful Fiery servers, VUTEk superwide digital inkjet printers, and web-enabled collaboration tools to advanced print MIS solutions and EFI Bestcolor-driven proofing and wide-format production solutions, including the new Fiery XF. Among the breakthrough solutions on display are the new Fiery System 8 Software for high-end digital color controllers, Color Profiler Suite profiling solution for graphic arts professionals, VUTEk QS2000 and VUTEk QS3200 UV-curing digital inkjet printers, and VUTEk 3360 superwide solvent digital printing platform. "Graph Expo is an important opportunity for us to meet with a great number of customers and potential customers and showcase our newest solutions designed to dramatically increase their profitability and productivity," said Guy Gecht, EFI CEO. "We'll introduce some of the industry's most advanced digital technology and workflow efficiencies with several EFI product launches and new third-party connectivity that drive improved competitiveness, efficiency and profitability for EFI customers." (NOTE: Press and analysts are invited to attend the EFI press conference, hosted by Gecht, Sunday, Oct. 15 at Noon, McCormick Place South, Room S501d. RSVP required: [email protected]) With more than 14 million Fiery technology users, EFI is lauded for precision color, consistent high quality, and innovative output and workflow innovation. With the introduction of Fiery System 8 Software, EFI once again sets a higher industry standard for digital printing. New Fiery System 8 Software launched at Graph Expo features leading edge WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) job composition and imposition tools, workflow automation, professional quality color, advanced production tools, and flexible and open VDP capabilities. Powerful Fiery options address the 'extreme' needs of customers in commercial print environments and immediately integrate into their high-end workflow systems. Via the EFI Fiery JDF Connector, Fiery-driven systems integrate with EFI Print MIS Solutions and prepress solutions, providing commercial printers with a more accurate, more efficient production workflow -- from capturing the designer's original intent to real-time estimating, accounting and billing, to producing brilliant digital output. EFI will also showcase the recently launched Splash RPX-i, the only Mac OS X-based workflow software option for the Fiery embedded server driving Xerox DocuColor 240/250 color multifunction systems; EFI Balance(TM), EFI's production color and B&W production management and sophisticated make-ready solution; and MicroPress, EFI's industry-leading, raster-based production color workflow solution. At Graph Expo 2006, EFI will launch the new Color Profiler Suite (CPS) profiling solution designed to ensure total color quality control in the color printing workflow for graphic arts professionals. The new solution offers an intuitive interface, seamless integration into existing operations, and extensive functionality. CPS is especially suited for printers driven by EFI servers and controllers and offers a complete suite of integrated color management tools. EFI will have a significant presence in the Wide Format Pavilion, and feature the new VUTEk QS2000, VUTEk QS3200 and VUTEk 3360, and connectivity to Fiery XF, the EFI Bestcolor-driven superwide printing and proofing solution. The VUTEk QS2000 and VUTEk QS3200 represent a new category of printers that combine EFI's production and workflow management technologies with the market-leading digital print capabilities of its VUTEk superwide format printers. These UV-curing digital inkjet printers bridge the gap between superior image quality, productivity and connectivity, delivering new applications and increased profitability for superwide digital print shops. EFI's VUTEk 3360 versatile superwide solvent printing platform features new field upgradeable entry-level configurations, and enables more print shops to deploy the renowned print quality, performance and reliability of a VUTEk digital inkjet printer. With an optional second ink delivery system, the VUTEk 3360 opens new market opportunities for solvent and dye-sublimation applications. Additionally, the VUTEk 3360 superwide digital inkjet printer has been optimized for VUTEk BioVu(TM) ink, offering print-for-pay shops greater opportunity for generating more revenue in environmentally-aware markets. Following are additional EFI product highlights at Graph Expo 2006: Fiery System Software and Servers -- EFI booth 4212 will showcase a compelling web-to-print VDP workflow that reduces expensive shipping and storage costs. Among EFI's vast digital library of product literature, attendees choose their pieces, which can be then personalized and immediately printed. The one-to-one, on-demand solution features EFI's Digital StoreFront, a color Fiery print server driving production output, and the Fiery JDF Connector connected to an EFI Print MIS solution managing the entire process. -- In addition to demonstrations in the EFI booth, industry-leading Fiery technology will be featured at several EFI partner booths. -- Canon, booth 1253, EFI and Canon will demonstrate an integrated JDF workflow that highlights collaborations with third-party prepress workflow providers and includes the Fiery-driven Canon imagePRESS 7000VP integrated with: EFI Balance, the Digital StoreFront(TM) web-to-print platform, and EFI Logic SQL, which combines end-to-end integration of the print production process with a powerful set of data collection tools with applications covering every business function from estimating to billing, order entry to shipping, purchasing, inventory control, finished goods, accounting and more. -- FUJIFILM Graphic Systems U.S.A., Inc. (formerly known as Enovation), booth 4205, will feature a Fiery-driven iGen3 digital press, and Fiery-driven DocuColor 8000, DocuColor 5000, and DocuColor 250 systems, with connectivity to EFI Digital StoreFront. -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A, will exclusively demonstrate at Graph Expo in EFI's booth and feature a Fiery-driven color bizhub PRO C6500 system. -- Oce North America, Inc., booth 1263, will showcase a Fiery-driven Oce system with connectivity to EFI Balance. -- Xerox, booth 1217, a Fiery-driven Xerox iGen digital color press, Fiery-driven DocuColor 5000, DocuColor 250, and Xerox 4110 systems, and Splash RPX-i driving Xerox's DocuColor240/250 color multifunction systems. EFI and Xerox will also jointly host an educational event for customers, presenting the latest business diagnostic, digital printing and workflow trends to help them optimize their business's overall productivity and efficiency. Monday, Oct. 16, 8:00 a.m., at the Hyatt adjacent to the McCormick Center. Superwide Digital Inkjet Printers -- EFI will showcase the VUTEk QS2000 (booth 4212) and VUTEk 3360 and the VUTEk QS3200 (booth 4273) with connectivity to Fiery XF production RIP and Colorburst RIP. -- EFI experts will provide information-rich presentations regarding superwide digital printing: -- Monday, Oct. 16, 12:30 p.m., McCormick Place Room S404BC "Profitable Printshops Require the Best Printers and Processes," presented by Bob Raus, vice president, marketing, VUTEk Superwide Digital Printing, EFI. -- Tuesday, Oct. 17, 1:30 p.m., Wide Format Theatre (booth 4987) "Superwide Format Digital Printing, a Big Opportunity for Print Providers," presented by Michael Wozny, product marketing manager, VUTEk Superwide Digital Printing, EFI. -- Graph Expo attendees will have the opportunity to win a banner of up to 10' x 10,' printed on a VUTEk printer with an image of the winners' choosing. EFI Bestcolor Technology-driven Proofing Solutions -- Colorproof(TM) XF Version 3 will be showcased in EFI's booths as well as in partner booths, including Canon (booth 1253), Epson (booth 4815), HP (booth 4281), and Pitman Company (booth 4873). Significant new features and enhancements include a new output option for gravure printers, a new production option for wide format production environments and the Fiery Option, which seamlessly integrates Fiery-driven devices into the Colorproof XF workflow. -- EFI will showcase Fiery XF software's high-speed processing, exceptional color quality and increased productivity for users of VUTEk superwide format printers. Fiery XF enables the addition of multiple proofing devices to the production equipment, and integration with EFI Print MIS and web-to-print solutions. Print MIS Solutions -- EFI will showcase the newest versions of its MIS solutions, including Hagen(TM), Logic, PSI(TM), PrintSmith(TM), Prograph(R) and Proteus(R); the family of PrinterSite(R) tools and also the latest versions of Enterprise Information System, PrintFlow(TM) Dynamic Scheduling and Auto-Count(R) Direct Machine Interface. -- EFI Auto-Count OpForma integrated to EFI Hagen will be on display for the first time. Auto-Count OpForma is a revolutionary new web-based production management solution that automatically collects, tracks, and reports workstation productivity, without manual record keeping or data entry. -- Several JDF workflows will be on display in the EFI booth, including PSI, Logic and Hagen connected to Komori, and MAN Roland as well as PSI, Logic, Hagen, and PrintSmith integrated to Fiery and Balance. -- JDF integration of Hagen OA to Agfa, Komori, MAN Roland and Standard Horizon will also be showcased in their respective booths. Production Workflow Solutions -- Digital StoreFront, EFI's web-to-print platform, provides a customer onramp into both the printer's digital production workflow (EFI Balance and MicroPress, and Fiery controllers) and the printer's business management tools. In addition to streamlining workflows, Digital StoreFront enables printers to add value to their product and services via online cataloging, VDP, and full e-commerce shopping tools. -- Chuck Gehman, EFI director of product marketing, will discuss web-to-print technology at The Industry Measure (formerly TrendWatch Graphic Arts) Brunch, Monday, Oct. 16, 11:30 a.m., McCormick Place South Building, Rm S105A. EFI experts will present sessions on topics ranging from new revenue opportunities to how to achieve the greatest cost savings and profitability every 30 minutes in EFI booth 4212.