Rolling Meadows, IL June 9, 2003 - alfaQuest Technologies Inc., announces the release of its PLATEMate configurable CTP interface suite of management tools. PLATEMate accepts CCITT Group 4 compressed TIFF bitmaps from any network source. It allows users to view, operate and configure the system from anywhere on the local network or Internet and can be configured to be fully fault tolerant. It also takes advantage of alfaQuest Technologies' remote diagnostics and Internet technical support. PLATEMate provides a complete suite of plate management tools for imaging from any RIP, scanner or other bitmap source to alfaQuest output devices including FasTRAK CTP/C (UV Conventional Plate), Yag and Violet CTP, as well as film imagers and proofers. "We want to provide all of our users with the same management tools available with our high-end systems," said Dennis Niernam, President of alfaQuest. "Even if you only have a single RIP, PLATEMate will provide the same high-end system management tools needed to monitor and manage your output in order to make the most of your CTP device." In addition to providing real-time production views, plates can be output in advance (days or even weeks), viewed and approved in PLATEMate and released when required. It also is the repository for live pages and plates that may be required before the end of the press run so there is no re-RIPping necessary. PLATEMate management tools include input sorting and routing, plate re-queuing, multiple plate output, plate view and approve tools, load leveling, dynamic edition display tools, priority plate processing, color plate locking, output sorting and routing and remote site plate management. With proper authority, users can re-send, re-route, hold, release, approve or kill any job in the system. Derived from alfaQuest's leading edge PrintExpress technology, PLATEMate provides the same resiliency and industrial-strength properties, and operates in either Sun Microsystems or Windows operating environments. In addition to the basic plate management tools, PLATEMate can be expanded with options to meet any output management requirement. Options include ink setting, network proofing, soft proofing, web soft proofing, page rotation, page pairing, furniture application (including any marks, labels, bar codes, etc.) as well as plate tracking. "PLATEMate is another example of alfaQuest listening to its users," said Nierman. "Our tremendous success with our CTP/C (conventional) device has shown that as the production workforce is reduced, more technology is needed to manage effectively. PLATEMate provides that technology." PLATEMate's flexible design also allows it to be configured as a standalone ink setting system, network proofing system, local and/or web soft proofing tool, page pairing system or furniture merging system.