Itasca, IL - Xeikon America announces that it has started selling, marketing and servicing Xeikon digital color equipment directly in Canada - effective immediately. The world's leading provider of digital color solutions thus continues the reorganization of its international distribution network, preferring to work with one organization per territory. Following the creation of sales and service organizations in various European countries, Xeikon had already implemented its direct selling and servicing strategy in the United States and now followed by Canada. As a direct result, Xeikon America is no longer working through its distribution partner AB Dick for the Canadian market. "We are very confident about the future," states Kristof Vereenooghe, President at Xeikon America. "We believe that direct sales and service of Xeikon products will allow us to maintain closer contact with our Canadian customer base and to work hand-in-hand with them to further expand their digital print offerings. This decision will also enable Xeikon to stay abreast of the latest trends in the Canadian digital color market and seamlessly integrate them in our future product enhancements." Xeikon has hired Canada-based sales and marketing personnel to support new equipment sales and factory-trained service technicians to provide support for its existing users. Xeikon will work out of a facility located in the Toronto area to timely process orders for consumables and parts in Canada. The upcoming Print Ontario 2004 show in Toronto - where Xeikon will demonstrate the truly revolutionary capabilities of the Xeikon 5000 digital color press - will mark the official launch of Xeikon's direct selling and service strategy in Canada.