Drupa Preview, Buren, The Netherlands (February 20, 2004) – Creo Inc. announced new prepress solutions that will help printers increase their company’s productivity, grow their sales, and reduce operating costs. At its Drupa preview press event, Creo unveiled prepress solutions that bring the theme of Creo’s presence at Drupa to life—Business Acceleration. Creo is focused on assisting printers to automate and leverage prepress workflow integration to jump start their company’s profitability. Creo will demonstrate these new prepress solutions at Drupa 2004 where printers will discover an investment in efficiency can deliver a very solid return. Creo’s expert team focuses on solutions that solve the unique challenges of each printing segment. Creo solutions address the needs of commercial, publication, on demand, packaging, and newspaper printers, as well as creative professionals. New Fast Magnus Very Large Format CTP Creo is expanding the best-selling, very large format computer-to-plate (CTP) line with the introduction of the new Magnus VLF CTP device—the fastest fully automated VLF device on the market —imaging 15 large format plates per hour at 2400 dpi. Quality imaging with repeatability, reliability, and improved functionality with automation makes this new system ideal for large commercial and packaging printers. Reducing Costs for Newspapers Synapse NewsManager is a new PDF workflow management tool that will help newspaper printers improve productivity, grow sales and reduce material costs. Based on open file standards, this modular system integrates easily into a newspaper printer’s existing system and is scalable to meet the needs of contract printers to metropolitan, national and international newspapers with multiple print sites. Creo is providing an easy transition to CTP for newspaper printers by expanding the Trendsetter NEWS CTP line with a semi-automatic configuration. Creo now offers Trendsetter NEWS models from semi-automatic all the way through advanced features and automation with speeds ranging from 50 to over 200 plates per hour. Affordable PDF Workflow The new Prinergy Evo workflow system delivers power and performance to commercial printers. Built on the foundation of the market-leading Prinergy workflow, Prinergy Evo features proven PDF processing power and ease of use with a low cost of ownership. Highly automated and easy to maintain, it streamlines commercial workflow processes, making it an important component of a complete solution from Creo. Designed for simple, automated operation from the desktop, Prinergy Evo features proven Creo color management, trapping and screening technologies. Workflow Solutions Increase Sales Creo is rolling out new and enhanced workflow solutions that are designed to help printers streamline operations, decrease costs and grow sales. With new features and expanded integration, these solutions extend Creo’s support for Networked Graphic Production —the industry-wide initiative that is focused on using open file standards such as JDF to automate the entire print production process, from idea to delivery. A major new development is Synapse Director, the new workflow management system that provides production management and connectivity between the new Brisque version 5.0 workflow solution and NGP systems. Synapse Director allows users to create, manage and automate their end-to-end print production workflow systems and builds an efficient and collaborative working environment that manages and tracks the production processes across multiple Brisques. Synapse Director enables printers to streamline their production processes and turn jobs around faster. Synapse Director provides valuable real-time production information that can be interfaced to management information systems (MIS) from NGP partners through Synapse Link software. A new version of the Prinergy workflow management system is also being introduced with new members of the powerful Synapse family of software products. Integrating Accurate Color with New Profile Wizard Mio Edition As part of the Creo Certified Color initiative, the new Mio Edition of Profile Wizard color management software makes creating exceptional quality ICC profiles easier than ever before. The Profile Wizard Mio Edition supports both Mac OS X and PC Windows, and the new GretagMacbeth iCColor spectrophotometer. Profile Wizard Mio Edition allows designers and prepress professionals to create color profiles for monitors, input or output devices for predictable, accurate color throughout the entire print workflow. Quality color profiling with Profile Wizard eliminates costly rework due to color variation, increases productivity, and reduces time and material wastage. Easing into Digital Printing A new hybrid prepress workflow integrates the Prinergy workflow management system for offset printing with Xerox DocuColor digital color presses. Commercial offset printers can now add the capability of digital printing to their prepress department as easily as adding a new proofer. Print jobs can be changed from one press to another with minimal time—and costs—for changeover. Initial work on a print job can be completed without a prior commitment to the particular method of print. At the click of a mouse, operators will instantly direct work to either a digital or an offset press. This workflow allows customers to deliver a full range of printed products with unmatched quality and efficiency. Veris Open Connectivity A new version of the innovative Veris proofer can process third-party PDF and PostScript files. This new version includes a RIP and provides complete ICC workflow support including spot color handling. It also includes features available in the original version of the Veris, such as queue management, image preview mode, and image layout and manipulation. Increase Pressroom Efficiency with Process Color Builds Two new software packages allow printers to dramatically reduce the use of special inks in their press room. Spotless 4 and Spotless X software enable printers to represent spot colors on press with process inks, making spot color replacement easy and accurate. This increases press room efficiency, and frees designers from the constraints of using only a few spot colors in a particular job. By benefiting both a printer’s bottom line, as well as helping them serve their customers with more value than ever before, Spotless printing offers printers a means to grow their business. Each of these business accelerating prepress solutions will be demonstrated at Drupa 2004 in Hall 4, Stand 10, from May 6-19. For more information, visit www.creo.com