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Banta To Showcase Innovative Products And Services For Catalogers At Conference

Press release from the issuing company

MENASHA,Wis.,May 21, 2003- Catalog marketers are increasingly dependent on their printers to orchestrate complex, mission-critical undertakings from digital workflow to one-to-one communication and mail distribution programs. Banta Corporation, a technology and market leader in printing and supply-chain management, will showcase innovative products and services that address these catalog publishing issues at the 20th AnnualCatalog Conference and Exhibition, June 1- 3 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco,  Booth #1600. "Today, choosing a printer can be one of the most important decisions that a catalog marketer will make because the relationship no longer revolves around simple ink-on-paper issues," said Dennis Meyer, vice president of marketing and planning for Banta Corporation. "Banta is dedicated to creating and investing in solutions that fit the needs of our catalog customers.  The Annual Catalog Conference is the perfect venue for us to highlight our full range of workflow solutions."   Products and services to be showcased include: · e-merge(tm) -A Web-based service that streamlines the process of job submission, job status tracking, internal proof routing, collaboration and remote proofing or approval.  The service gives customers real-time knowledge of project status 24/7 from wherever Internet access is available.  Authorized users log onto a password-protected URL and are given instant access to projects.  Catalogers can check the status of individual jobs and pages, view thumbnails of any page and quickly identify which pages require approval.  Multiple authorized users can collaborate on the system, performing such tasks as measuring the color density of pages, making annotated comments and even approving pages for print.  The system couples each change to Banta's prepress workflow with registration directly into the production database.  · Stochastic Screening -Stochastic screening uses randomly placed dots instead of the traditional halftone dots aligned along neat and visible screen angles, preventing moiré patterns.  For catalog marketers, it creates cleaner and crisper looking images and dries faster, allowing them to get to the bindery faster -- saving precious press time. · BantaTrax and DIRECTS(tm) Online -BantaTrax is an online mail-tracking program built withinDIRECTS, Banta's computerized distribution and mail planning system.  The core of BantaTrax is PLANET(tm) Code, a U.S.P.S.-sponsored mail-tracking program intended to help catalogers verify in-home delivery, staff call centers accordingly and plan future mail strategies.  Essentially, BantaTrax helps track mail from the moment a shipment is dispatched from Banta's facilities until it is actually delivered in-home.  The program gives catalogers better insight as to how quickly mail pieces are flowing through the postal system.   · Page Spraying -Page spraying automates the page production process for structured catalog pages.  The solution improves time-to-market, enables catalogers to increase versioning and reduces production costs.   · AutoPrice(tm)  XTension(tm) for QuarkXPress(tm) -Using AutoPrice, catalogers can link elements on QuarkXPress documents to an external database of information. These links allow catalogers to quickly and accurately updated information and pricing.     · DesignMerge(tm) Web-DesignMerge Web enables users to access templates and create customized catalogs and marketing materials through a standard Web browser. Catalog marketers can accurately target prospects and customers with personalized communications and targeted catalogs.  The end result is a streamlined workflow that cuts costs, ensures quality, controls branding and improves response rates.    · Literature Management Administration Tool -Banta's order entry administrative Literature Management Tool gives customers real-time access to account information and literature management inventory.  This provides users control over the fulfillment and assembly processes necessary to place, modify, cancel and track orders, as well as access to valuable reports that help to better manage a their business.  In addition, the Website is customizable and can be personalized to reflect a company's brand image.