July 15, 2003 -- Rochester, N.Y. — The NexPress 2100 digital production color press is the "Best High End CRD Color Device" of 2003, according to BERTL. The leading independent testing lab today bestowed the NexPress 2100 press with a "BERTL’s Best 2003" award for its outstanding technology and performance. According to BERTL, the NexPress 2100 press was recognized "for its combination of cutting-edge technology, exceptional color and print performance, and flexible document production capabilities," and for offering "relatively low costs for new business opportunities in short-run and variable-data printing." "Since its launch, the NexPress 2100 press has been setting new standards in image quality, reliability and productivity for digital color printing," said Venkat Purushotham, president and CEO of NexPress Solutions LLC. "We are pleased that our press has been recognized by BERTL for its exceptional technology and performance, and remain committed to helping print providers take advantage of new, higher-value applications." The BERTL award is the latest industry recognition for the NexPress 2100 press. It previously won the prestigious GATF InterTech. Technology Award, which honors excellence in innovative technology for the graphic communications industry. The NexPress 2100 sheet-fed, full-color system produces 2100 full-color, ledger +/A3+ sheets per hour at 600 multi-bit dpi. With the robustness of an offset press and the open-standard flexibility to produce state-of-the-art variable data color printing, the press sets new standards for uptime, reliability, image quality and consistency. Additionally, the NexPress 2100 press provides unprecedented serviceability and allows customers to drive down operating costs through press management and control of operator replaceable components. The press is the first product developed by NexPress Solutions LLC, a joint venture of Eastman Kodak Company and Heidelberg, which won three other BERTL's Best awards for its Digimaster 9150i print system, Digimaster 9110m print system and Hole Puncher 9110. It was created in 1998 to develop, manufacture and market digital production printing solutions and materials. The NexPress 2100 press is also sold and distributed by Heidelberg.