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WhatTheyThink

EFI Celebrates Its Millionth Fiery with NASDAQ & On Demand Events

Press release from the issuing company

- See today's special report at www.whattheythink.com on this event. NEW YORK--April 7, 2003-- In 1991, a young software company called EFI introduced a breakthrough color server that turned ordinary color copier machines into powerful, networked digital printers. Branded as Fiery, the EFI color server quickly became the industry standard for digital printing as EFI partnered with every major printing manufacturer (OEM) to bring affordable digital color to the corporate and commercial printing markets. Today, EFI is a $350 million publicly traded global corporation and has just attained the remarkable milestone of shipping its millionth Fiery. To celebrate this achievement, EFI is presiding over the start of the NASDAQ trading session on April 7 as well as presenting the millionth Fiery to Kinko's, Inc., one of its long-time customers, at the opening of "On Demand 2003" at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City the same day. At the NASDAQ opening ceremony, Guy Gecht will be joined by EFI employees as well as executives from many of EFI's long-time customers and OEM partners: "Shipping one million Fierys is an exciting milestone for EFI as it represents billions of Fiery prints that have helped millions of people to express their ideas with brilliant color and precision output," said EFI CEO Guy Gecht. "We are grateful to all of our customers and partners who have chosen our Fiery technology over the years and have helped us to make Fiery the industry standard for quality color digital printing." Following the NASDAQ open, most guests will head for the On Demand show and to EFI's second event -- the presentation of the millionth Fiery to Kinko's at the opening keynote sessions of this major industry showcase. Gecht remarked: "It is difficult to single out one customer to present with the millionth Fiery as every one of our customers and OEM partners has been central to our success. But we are pleased to recognize Kinko's, who installed one of the first Fierys in their branch in Tacoma, Washington and, over the last decade, has deployed thousands of Fierys in their branches nationwide, delivering millions of Fiery prints to their customers. We thank Kinko's for their past business and we look forward to working with them -- and all of our loyal Fiery customers -- long into the future." "Kinko's is one of EFI's oldest and -- thanks to our network of more than 1,100 locations -- most frequent customers," said Steve Grupe, Kinko's vice president of global sourcing. "Thanks to innovations like the Fiery, Kinko's is able to deliver on our promise of making technology accessible to our customers. We're honored to receive the millionth Fiery and look forward to continuing our relationship well into the future." Grupe added that the millionth Fiery is being deployed at a new Kinko's branch in Boston. Some Fiery achievements along the way to its millionth milestone: First Fiery introduced at Seybold in Boston in 1991. Color printing breakthrough at 5 pages-per-minute 1992 - EFI goes public. At end of year, Fiery is deployed at several thousand locations 1994 - EFI named to Fortune Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies with over $97 million in revenues 1996 - 50,000 Fiery installed worldwide 1998 - 500,000 Fiery deployed worldwide 2000 - 700,000 Fiery deployed worldwide 2002 -- EFI ends year with over 20 international offices, nearly 1,000 employees and revenues of $350 million 2002 -- EFI announces its Fastest Fierys ever, including one for transactional printing that will print variable data in color at 2000 pages per minute 2003 -- April 7: EFI together with millions of Fiery users worldwide celebrate the millionth Fiery Today, EFI provides imaging solutions for every segment of the digital printing market from short run office printers to high volume production level digital engines. Beyond their unparalleled speed (up to 2000 ppm in color) and quality, today's Fierys offer industry-leading software tools for color management, calibration, workflow and variable data printing. EFI's powerful color servers are now complemented by the productivity- boosting Velocity(TM) suite of workflow software tools that provide end-to-end solutions for digital printing from purchasing to printing. EFI's first Fiery in 1991 may have started the digital printing revolution but its millionth Fiery in 2003 is certainly not the end of its constant drive for innovation and customer satisfaction. At the On Demand Show, EFI is showcasing its latest portfolio of Fiery, graphic arts and workflow products and solutions that make precision color printing, faster, more efficient and more cost-effective for printers and users alike. EFI's Fiery servers and other products can be seen at booth #3535.