LONDON---Jan. 30, 2002--Backed by high-performance team of printing professionals, Xerox Corporation today announced that it will begin order taking for its new DocuColor iGen3 Digital Production Press on April 9. A result of a $1 billion investment, the new 100-ppm Xerox press has been highly anticipated in the graphic arts market and is predicted to revolutionize digital color printing the way the Xerox DocuTech did for monochrome printing in the early 1990s. Order taking for the DocuColor iGen3 coincides with the opening day of IPEX 2002, a printing industry conference held in Birmingham, U.K., April 9-17. Pricing and associated services also will be announced at that date. Initial customer testing is under way, and iGen3 shipments are slated to begin in the second half of 2002. At an international IPEX press and consultant briefing today, Frank Steenburgh, senior vice president and general manager, Xerox DocuColor iGen3 Digital Production Press Business, outlined six reasons the machine will be successful in the marketplace. They include: the right people with the right expertise and experience, a system that meets customer expectations, the availability of application and volume building programs, and extensive customer support. "For many years, the industry has been anticipating what they call the color DocuTech,'' said Steenburgh. "I believe that iGen3's acceptance in the market will meet and exceed the success of DocuTech. Every week I talk with graphic arts and corporate customers who are eager to place an order for the DocuColor iGen3.'' Steenburgh believes the reasons for iGen3 market success are not just based on the machine's revolutionary technology but on the people bringing it to market. Steenburgh has handpicked a 50-member team to manage the marketing and launch of DocuColor iGen3. The team includes Xerox veterans from the original DocuTech team, color team and Graphic Arts Industry Business, as well as printing professionals with prior experience at industry competitors. "This dedicated team will ensure that when launched, iGen3 will give customers the best quality and the most value, while helping make their businesses more productive and profitable,'' said Steenburgh. Other supporting success factors include a focus on solutions and services designed to help customers capitalize on growth in short-run color applications, including printed materials that contain customized content. Xerox is also developing application and volume-building support programs. The Xerox booth will be the largest at IPEX; at 6,500 square meters its total size is larger than a soccer field. Also featured will be about 40 other Xerox DocuColor, DocuTech and DocuPrint printers, including the DocuColor 2000 Series which, according to industry analyst IDC, is the market leader with 55 percent of the 45+ page-per-minute color laser copier-printer and high-end digital color print system market.