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New EFI Fiery Server Drives Xerox Digital Color Printer/Copier to Higher Levels of Quality and Productivity

Press release from the issuing company

CHICAGO--Sept. 9, 2005-- EFI today announced that the Fiery EXP250 color server, which sets-up, processes and directs print jobs to printing systems, is immediately available for Xerox Corporation's entry-level production digital color printer/copiers, the 50-page per minute (ppm) Xerox DocuColor 250 and 40-ppm DocuColor 240. The EXP250 color server delivers high levels of productivity and advanced control for precise printing. The Fiery EXP250 provides a robust suite of color precision and control tools, variable data print (VDP) support, and advanced workflow and security features for light production, corporate reprographic departments, graphics-intensive (graphic arts, creative services, prepress/proof) environments, and print for pay environments. Fiery options available on the EXP250 include the exclusive Fiery Production Printing Package, which equips DocuColor 250/240 customers with comprehensive production functionality. "The Fiery EXP250 has the advanced features to help Xerox's customers create quality color and black-and-white output quickly and efficiently," said Mike Kucharski, vice president, Production Solutions Business Unit, Xerox Production Systems Group. "With the EXP250 color server, light production environments and graphic communications businesses can take full advantage of Xerox's DocuColor 240/250 Digital Color Printer and print a wide range of applications." The EXP250 is built to satisfy the professional environments' demanding production and quality requirements -- while maintaining high dependability and flexibility. The EXP250-driven DocuColor 250/240 wraps Fiery user interfaces, such as the award-winning Command WorkStation, around sophisticated functions and workflow to deliver a highly productive system. Complex color documents that include variable data, tabs, imposition, and specialized paper handling are readily produced at full speed with the EXP250's combination of technologies that streamline and automate work processes. Key features of the EXP250 server include: -- Fiery Command WorkStation, which recently won a coveted 2005 BERTL's Best Award, sets the standard in centralized print job management with an intuitive interface and a variety of sophisticated, productivity-enhancing tools. Available for customers using both PC and Macintosh operating systems, Command WorkStation has the flexibility to run locally, as well as on multiple client stations, when equipped with the optional Fiery Advanced Controller Interface kit. -- Variable Data Printing -- the Fiery EXP250 provides industry-leading VDP performance, enabling DocuColor 240/250 customers to efficiently create customized marketing campaigns. The EFI VDP solution is open, flexible, scaleable, and includes the most comprehensive, proven range of VDP languages -- Fiery FreeForm, industry standard PPML, and Xerox VIPP, among others. Compatible with legacy languages, the EXP250 seamlessly integrates into existing VDP workflows and ensures consistency regardless of whether the job is VDP or non-VDP. -- Advanced Job Imposition -- Impose Fiery Edition, a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) client/server-based imposition application, enables entire documents to be imposed, edited and assembled quickly, before RIPping the files. Providing the unique ability to create an unlimited number of new custom imposition templates, this feature is independent of platform, application and file format, and supports a wide variety of source documents, including all VDP languages. -- New Text/Graphics Enhancement Technology -- With 2400 dpi engine addressability, the EXP250 enables DocuColor 240/250 customers to print true 1200 dpi text and graphics at high speed. This new Fiery technology allows the device to print smoother lines and curves, as well as sharper text. -- Improved Security -- Fiery security features for the DocuColor 240/250 include: -- Secure Erase to remove all traces of job data from the Fiery hard disk drive; -- IP Filtering to control access to the printing device; -- Port Blocking to control access to the Fiery through remote management; -- The Removable Hard Disk Drive option, which enables the user to both lock the server drive(s) into the system for normal operation and to remove the drives to a secure location after powering down the server; -- Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) provides the level of security required for government and large corporations and allows the Fiery administrator to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the Fiery. Following are the Powerful Options Available for the EXP250 Server: -- The Fiery Production Printing Package delivers unprecedented production management capability, functionality that is exclusively provided by EFI. The Package is a set of breakthrough job management and submission tools that enable the EXP250-driven DocuColor 240/250 to deliver the fastest output for the most elaborate, complicated print jobs. -- Including automated native MS Office document job submission, the Package eliminates bottlenecks and minimizes downtime. -- The Fiery Production Printing Package also greatly abates the need for operator intervention and maximizes the full functionality of the DocuColor 240/250 finishing options. -- EFI Compose is integral to the Package as its advanced preview and editing capability readily handles complex composition. -- Paper Catalog is a system-based paper warehouse database that automates media control and eases operator intervention. Paper Catalog stores attributes of the entire media stock available at the warehouse of a production site. -- The Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition goes beyond the built-in Fiery graphic arts functionality inherent to the EXP250, and enables powerful color control. Easily integrating into existing graphic arts workflows, the Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition utilizes the most advanced tools for color proofing and control. Premium power tools include Image Viewer, which offers a fast, accurate softproofing interface that zooms to the dot cell level; file converters for Hot Folders to streamline job submission from other graphic arts workflows; advanced trapping settings; and control bars and post-flight reports for sophisticated trouble-shooting and output control. -- EFI Color Profiler -- This Fiery advanced color management tool is a color measurement solution for generating ICC-compliant device profiles, optimizing print quality and helping to produce color consistency between printers. Color Profiler provides the digital color hardware and software needed to intuitively create color profiles and deploy them in any workflow. The ES-1000 handheld spectrometer is included to instantly and accurately measure the full visible spectrum of light reflected from color samples. The ES-1000 can also be used as a densitometer to measure a printer's daily color fluctuations for calibration purposes. "The EXP250 continues EFI's long history of ingenuity and pace-setting product innovations," said Frank Mallozzi, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. "Our close collaboration with Xerox allows us to offer DocuColor 240/250 customers the Production Printing Package option -- powerful print optimizing capabilities and the tools for outstanding output -- among other leading-edge Fiery solutions." Launched with the new Xerox DocuColor 240/250 Digital Color Printer/Copier in June 05, an integrated Fiery controller is also available, delivering capabilities optimal for PDF and Microsoft Office users as well as graphics-intensive offices and other creative environments. The EXP250 joins the family of Fiery solutions designed specifically for Xerox's full line of color presses, from the Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Press to the Xerox DocuColor 12, and the Xerox Phaser EX7750 color laser printer, which won a Macworld 2005 Best of Show award. Availability Fiery solutions for Xerox digital presses are available through the Xerox direct sales force, authorized sales agents and resellers, and via TeleWeb operations. The Fiery EX250, among other Fiery solutions for Xerox, will be shown at Print 05 EFI Booth 8315 and Xerox Booth 1228. For more information, call 800-ASK-XEROX or visit www.xerox.com.