LOD, Israel, Nov. 5 -- NUR Macroprinters, a leading supplier of wide-format and superwide digital printing systems and consumables for out-of-home advertising, today announced its entry into the growing textile printing market with the rollout of the NUR FabriGraph(TM) high production, dye sublimation printer line. Erez Shachar, President and Chief Executive Officer of NUR Macroprinters Ltd states, "We're delighted to be launching the world's first digital production-oriented dye sublimation printer developed for textile applications. Printers working with textile substrates will be able to match traditional dye sub printing processes in format, while reaping a host of quality, time and cost benefits from digital printing technology.'' The new NUR FabriGraph DS3200 is a 10.5 ft (3.2 meters) wide, dye sublimation printer, offering, what NUR Macroprinters believes to be, the highest productivity levels of any digital dye sublimation device in the market today. Adapted for dye sublimation inks, and based on NUR Macroprinters' market leading wide-format digital printing technology, the NUR FabriGraph DS3200 is complemented by a 5 ft. (1.5 meters) wide machine, the DS1500. VP of Business Development for NUR Macroprinters, Alon Avnon comments, "The NUR FabriGraph DS3200 and DS1500 can print at up to 430 sq. ft per hour. These levels of productivity offer a uniquely cost-effective digital printing solution for print runs of up to 3,000 sq. ft. -- enabling print service providers to enhance their premium service offering to include short-run production, fast delivery and mass customization.'' With the NUR FabriGraph textile printers, customers will be able to choose from a four-color (CMYK) or eight-color (CMYK, LC, LM, LY, LK) system, balancing their requirements for broad color gamut versus productivity. Both machines use piezo drop-on-demand inkjet technology to print onto standard dye sublimation carrier substrates, for subsequent transfer by conventional heat press to the fabric. The NUR FabriGraph printers are capable of delivering an apparent print resolution of up to 600 dpi on all textile fabrics containing a minimum of 50% polyester, as well as a range of rigid and flexible polyester-coated materials. Dye sublimation printing is an increasingly popular textile printing method in the production of flags and banners, as well as for specialized clothing applications utilizing man-made fibers, particularly sportswear. The digital front end and color calibration system incorporated into the NUR FabriGraph DS3200 and DS1500 are developments of Sophis Systems, a world leader in digital front ends and editing systems for the textile printing market. NUR FabriGraph is working in close partnership with Sophis Systems to ensure the printers' suitability for true textile applications. Post-print handling of output from the NUR FabriGraph DS3200 and DS1500 is identical to traditional dye sublimation print processes. The print is dry at the point of output and is ready to be heat-transferred to the fabric without any further treatment, using conventional heat presses. For those customers requiring it, NUR Macroprinters can offer a complete and coherent solution including heat press machinery for dye sublimation printing. The NUR FabriGraph DS3200 and DS1500 are currently in a beta test phase, and products are scheduled for commercial availability worldwide in early 2002. Both NUR FabriGraph DS products will be sold and supported through NUR Macroprinters' sales organizations, NUR America, NUR Europe and NUR Asia Pacific. The US list prices of the NUR FabriGraph DS1500 and DS3200 are $180,000 and $350,000 respectively.