Oakdale, MN – October 31, 2008 – NELA expands its market share by providing punchbending equipment to two major newspapers in Brazil. Zero Hora and O Globo both choose NELA as their punchbending supplier for their CTP conversions and plant expansions.

O Globo will install five (5) Optical PunchBenders with multivariable cut-offs (VCP-M) for their MAN press. The five (5) VCP-Ms will be connected to five (5) Agfa Polaris CtPs which will replace existing CTF equipment. In order to handle the plate volume that reaches up to 80,000 plates per month, NELA will install two (2) plate stacking systems with 20 plate bins each. The complete line (see layout below) will be able to punch, bend and sort the plates in a manner that press operators need only to pick them out of the bins and hang them on the cylinder. The complete line with its five VCP-M lines and stacking systems will be able to handle 1,200 single plates per hour. The equipment is expected to be installed in the first quarter of 2009.

Zero Hora which is located in Porto Alegre, Brazil, is one of the largest newspapers in southern Brazil. The paper recently built a new plant and bought a new press. As part of this modernization Zero Hora wanted to automate their plate production to make it more efficient. NELA will install two (2) inline Vision PunchBenders that will punch and bend plates for their new Wifag press and their existing Goss press. The multivariable Vision PunchBender (VCP-M) is capable of punching and bending both plate sizes in one machine. This set-up will enable the production to be faster and more efficient. The plates will be automatically delivered to the quiet room which will make the retrieval of press-ready plates more convenient for the pressmen. Installation date for this line is in the first semester of 2009.