Hudson, NH – October 24, 2008 – Presstek, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing business solutions, and Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced that Presstek will demonstrating the Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C6501 color production print system in Booth 2811 at Graph Expo. Under an agreement announced earlier this year, Presstek will offer the Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C6501 color digital printer as an optional bundled solution with its DI digital offset presses. With this bundled solution print service providers will be empowered to more cost-effectively deliver a wider range of applications, such as personalized print and ultra-short-run versioned documents for use in direct mail campaigns and other integrated marketing initiatives.

"In today's print market there is a growing demand for the fast turnaround of short run quantities at a competitive cost per piece," said Klaus Schleicher, Presstek's Group Product Director, Digital Printing Business Unit. "The high level of quality, low cost per page and substrate flexibility of the Presstek DI press combined with the variable data printing and ultra-short run capability of the Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C6501 is an ideal solution for satisfying these demands. This best-in-class bundled solution means that print service providers can achieve a wider range of capabilities and higher quality than they could with one production volume color toner-based device at the same price point. We are delighted to be partnering with a well-respected company such as Konica Minolta in bringing this innovative approach to market." 

"Print buyers are facing growing pressure to deliver effective marketing programs with smaller budgets," said Kevin Kern, Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A, Inc. "Print service providers with a creative approach to making versioned and variable data printing projects as affordable and compelling as possible, will have the competitive edge. By using the Presstek DI press to print static information, overprinting variable data with the Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C6501, production print professionals can bring the best of both worlds to their customers. In addition to the highly complementary nature of these two print production solutions, each can then be used to produce projects ideally suited for their respective capabilities. This hybrid production platform can deliver results that are unmatched in the marketplace."

Other applications ideally suited for hybrid production include short-run books and targeted direct mail campaigns. Direct mail offers a significant opportunity for businesses that provide printing services. According to a recent study by industry research organization PRIMIR, demand for direct mail printing is forecasted to be the second strongest sector of the print market in all regions of the world over the next five years, with a growth rate of 18.8 percent.