MINNEAPOLIS, April 29 -- Delphax Technologies Inc., announced today that its newest high-speed digital printing technology has been selected by Muller Martini to power the world's first fully integrated solution for digital book-on-demand production. Muller Martini, the leading manufacturer of print finishing systems with worldwide operations, will introduce the most advanced fully digital publishing system at the Drupa 2004 trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany, May 6- 19. It will incorporate the new Delphax roll-fed digital press capable of industry leading production speed of 450 feet or nearly 2,000 images per minute at a full 600 x 600 dpi-speed that can produce high quality 300-page (6-by-9-inch) books at the rate of one every five seconds. The solution will feature a new line of Muller Martini finishing systems to cut, stack, fold and bind books or manuals in either saddle-stitched or perfect bound formats. The system uses an integrated and continuous production line control system that permits economical production even on very short press runs. All of the new finishing system components will be branded with the "Sigma" identity. The Delphax press, which will be co-branded as the "SigmaPress powered by Delphax," is being manufactured specifically for Muller Martini and has been customized by Delphax for integration into the system and to deliver seamless workflow and optimal production performance as part of Muller's overall solution. "The SigmaLine is a high-performance digital production system that is the product of intense research and development," said Daniel W. Germann, Managing Director, OnDemand Solutions of Muller Martini. "One of our challenges was finding a partner that could deliver a leading edge print technology capable of meeting the high standards we set for speed, quality, reliability and cost of operations. After extensive review we selected Delphax and its patented electron beam imaging technology as the best press technology for integration into our solution to be exhibited at Drupa 2004. The Delphax press delivers an industrial strength solution designed for multi-shift operations in demanding operating environments consistent with Muller's design strategy." Digital printing permits lower set-up costs than in conventional offset printing, making it possible for even short runs to be produced economically. Book publishers can avoid risks associated with large inventories, soft demand cycles and storage costs, by printing specific numbers of books on demand. Book-on-demand publishing also holds major cost advantages for producers of publications that require frequent updates, such as textbooks, law books, product brochures and operating manuals. "We are extremely pleased that Muller Martini has selected our technology for this major advance in on-demand printing capability," said Jay Herman, chairman and chief executive officer of Delphax Technologies. "They have put together a totally automated book and brochure publishing system, one in which a blank roll of paper goes in one end and fully formed product emerges from the other in a process that we think offers an irresistible combination of productivity, economy and quality." At Drupa 2004, the world's largest print industry trade show, Delphax will be introducing its new CR2000 Digital Web Press which features the same industry leading 450 feet per minute throughput. "The CR2000," Herman said, "will be sold directly by Delphax as a standalone press or with a wide range of possible application configurations using pre- and post-press products from Delphax's network of value added solution partners."