TORRANCE, CA, USA (APRIL 7, 2003) - Xplor International, Inc. today announced the formation of the electronic document systems industry's first virtual chapter devoted entirely to the rapidly-emerging market for Security Printing. Security printing applications span the electronic printing world - from government agencies printing car titles, to marketing agencies printing valuable customized vouchers, to financial institutions and insurance companies seeking to limit fraud. · Topics to be covered by the new chapter include: · Security in the paper (chemical sensitivity, fibers/threads, watermarks etc) · Security in document design (void pantographs, embedded data, micro-printing, split fountain, · Choice of color/shading etc) · Security on the paper (inks, invisible marks, fluorescence etc) · Security in the printing and personalization process · Security gained from consistent quality control · Security through education - informing how to spot and combat fraud · Quality testing of security features on documents · Toner adhesion… holding fast to the paper, or loosely helping fraudsters? · Print verification systems · Tightening of international standards for business checks At Xplor conferences and forums, Document Technology experts and users address some of the hottest topics in the industry today, sharing real-life examples of how they tackle some of the industry's most complex technology and business process challenges. Open panel sessions with competing vendors and customers allow delegates to assess solutions that best fit an organization's technology and process needs. Electronic Printing has become so widespread that document security has become an issue of critical importance. This year, for the first time, Xplor has created both a virtual chapter devoted entirely to security printing, and has added a dedicated Security Printing Track to the curriculum of its 24th. Annual Global Conference and Exhibit scheduled for October 26-29, 2003 in Atlanta, GA. Security Printing Chapter Mission The Xplor International Security Printing Chapter's primary objective is to promote and protect the interests of all Xplor members in the rapidly developing area of security printing. This will be achieved through the processes of: · Educational programs · Networking opportunities · Information exchange · Representation on inter/national bodies Security Printing Chapter Program The Security Printing Chapter meets (face to face) only once per year at Xplor's Global Conference and Exhibit. It offers a separate track of in-depth presentations that will be delivered by internationally recognized security printing specialists. Due to the sensitive nature of many presentations handouts will be made available only to actual attendees. In addition to the annual conference and exhibit the Security Printing Chapter will promote virtual meetings via the www.xplor.org website. Some of the information will be made generally available to all Xplor members. However, access to information of a more sensitive nature will be restricted to those individual members who have registered their interest in security printing matters with Xplor. Security Printing Chapter Membership It is envisioned that a significant number of existing member companies will seek to extend their membership numbers by including their security printing specialists. In addition, the benefits of belonging to the Xplor International Security Printing Chapter will be promoted to banks and security printing companies covering both the vendor and user community worldwide. Security Printing Chapter Board Xplor International is pleased to announce the appointment of Russell Thurlow of Australia to be the founding President of the new Chapter and has granted him authority to invite and appoint representative specialists from Canada, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States to join him on the Board. The initial Board will serve for a two-year period, after which there will be an election from the registered Security Printing Chapter members of each country represented. William J. (Bill) McCalpin, General Manager, Xplor International said, " We are very pleased that Russell has taken the lead in bringing this important new forum to the Xplor membership. We look forward to lively and informative discussions at this year's Global Conference." Call for Papers/Exhibitors Muriel Hogan, Xplor's Director of Conferences and Exhibits added "Corporate Users, Government Agencies, and Application Developers interested in presenting sessions on the issues associated with Security Printing are invited to submit abstracts of their proposed presentations directly to Xplor International's Speaker Submission Web at www.Xplor.org/Xplor2003/Speaker." "Security Printing products and solutions suppliers interested in exhibiting at the conference are encouraged to request additional information from [email protected]."