VANCOUVER, B.C. Aug. 28, 2001--CreoScitex, a division of Creo Products Inc. proudly announces that the 1,000th Spire(TM) color server will ship in September. Launched just one year ago, the Spire color servers drive high-speed, print-on-demand digital printers. The first Spire color server was released in September 2000 for the Xerox DocuColor100/130 press and earlier this year, a new Spire server was released for the Xerox DocuColor2045/2060 color press. Spire servers offer flexibility and workflow control for applications such as catalogs, flyers, complex long-run variable information jobs and simple presentations. The servers feature a simplified user interface combined with an extremely fast RIP guaranteeing a highly productive printing system. Wide Acceptance of Spire Servers "We are extremely pleased with the acceptance of Spire servers in the market place,'' said Mark Dance, Executive Vice President, Creo Products Inc. and President and Chief Operating Officer, CreoScitex. "Spire servers are being used by all market segments, with more than half of all installations made in organizations outside of the Graphic Arts community. We believe the Spire server family has allowed us to successfully extend our proven abilities in prepress and high speed data processing to new markets in digital printing.'' "Shipping the 1000th Spire color server since its launch less than a year ago proves the strength of Spire as the color server for the professional community,'' says Eli Shalhon, Director of Marketing, Print-On-Demand Systems Group. "The Spire server, with outstanding features especially suited to commercial printers, is closing the gap between traditional printing and digital printing. Looking ahead, I am excited by the features that are planned for this product as we continue to develop our leadership in this market.'' "The CreoScitex Spire color server is superior to other color servers on the market because it adds value to the entire production process,'' continues Mr. Shalhon. The Spire server provides a comprehensive solution by addressing all production requirements starting from the prepress phase through to the output of printed copies. The complete workflow includes built-in imposition tools, color-management features, and quality-enhancement features such as CreoScitex Full Auto Frame trapping. Spire: Variable Data Printing The Spire color server is designed for the challenging demands of variable data printing, such as processing long-run jobs and efficient caching of repeating elements to avoid redundant RIP time. Government and the banking, insurance, and health industries are adopting Variable Information (VI) technology, which lays the foundations for the adoption of digital printing. One successful example is PENTE Corporation of Toronto, which specializes in direct marketing, advertising and graphic design. PENTE has led the variable information revolution in the health insurance industry with client Liberty Health, which is part of the Fortune 500 Liberty Mutual Group. Liberty Health provides health benefit management services to more than 750,000 Canadians. Liberty and PENTE set out to determine whether personalized mail produced substantially different success rates from traditional methods of customer solicitation. The results were very positive. "PENTE's utilization of CreoScitex print-on-demand variable information functionality has dramatically increased both the quantity and quality of applications received at Liberty Health,'' says Bob Pente, President of PENTE Corporation. Spire: Speed, Versatility and Quality Another satisfied user of the Spire server is Michael Epstein, President of Digital Imaging Inc. of Salem, MA. "With our recent purchase of a CreoScitex Spire for our Xerox DocuColor 2045, we have remained true to our commitment to quality. The benefits to our business have been evident. Our successful transition from prepress service bureau to digital imaging center would not have been possible without the speed, versatility and quality we depend on from mission-critical components like the CreoScitex Spire server. Excellence in color, a robust yet intuitive user interface, and a powerful arsenal of features for the manipulation of documents make the CreoScitex Spire the heart of our digital printing operations.'' See Spire Servers at Print 01 The Spire color server will be demonstrated at Print '01 driving the Xerox DocuColor 2060 at CreoScitex booth 5710, from September 6-13. See the Spire server driving both the Xerox DocuColor 2060 and the new, soon-to-be-released Xerox press at the Xerox booth 8805.