BIRMINGHAM, U.K., April 4 -- Whether they operate in conventional, digital or blended production environments, print providers visiting Kodak’s exhibit at IPEX 2006 will find solutions to help them maximize their growth and revenue opportunities. A full range of new, enhanced and established products—from image capture and workflow to proofing and output—will be on display at Kodak’s booth, D70, in Hall 5. Kodak’s presence at IPEX extends well beyond its own stand. Solutions from Kodak will be used to print the IPEX Daily newspaper, and a number of exhibitors will feature Kodak’s products in their booths. In addition, Kodak speakers will lead or participate in informative sessions throughout the week. “By combining innovative solutions with market expertise across the graphic communications spectrum, Kodak can work with printers to expand efficiency and profitability potential throughout their businesses,” said Israel Sandler, Vice President and Managing Director of Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, Europe, Africa and Middle East Region. “Our broad portfolio means that we can offer customers the right recommendations and products based on their particular needs, such as offering new services, upgrading technologies, enhancing color quality, or extending capabilities.” Global Launches The next generation KODAK VERIS digital proofer helps customers achieve superior color accuracy and proofing productivity. Launching at IPEX, major enhancements to the VERIS proofer include an inline spectrophotometer, an improved gamut ink set, new high-performance proofing media, and a new Certified Process for confirming color. Using KODAK MULTI-DROP ARRAY imaging, the VERIS digital proofer serves as a premium inkjet solution for prepress professionals who need the utmost in color precision and proofing accuracy. By combining digital flexographic and offset platemaking technology, KODAK THERMOFLEX Hybrid platesetters help printers maximize their investment in computer to plate (CTP) by providing the flexibility to image offset plates, flexographic and letterpress plates, and film—all on one device. Kodak’s hybrid CTP platesetter comes in two formats, the THERMOFLEX Narrow Hybrid and the THERMOFLEX Mid Hybrid, which Kodak is demonstrating at IPEX. “These new solutions reflect Kodak’s commitment to providing customers with choices about the best technology or product to serve their productivity and quality needs,” noted Sandler. European Debuts The recently launched KODAK NEXPRESS 2500 digital color production press will be unveiled to a European audience at IPEX. It will be shown with the KODAK NEXPRESS 2100 plus digital color production press. The latest NEXPRESS platform has been designed for even greater productivity and reliability, leveraging Kodak’s award winning digital production color press technology, and building on the renowned Kodak strengths of quality, consistency, reliability and uptime. Customers can create additional revenue streams and attract new customers by configuring either press with a KODAK NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solution to deliver spot color, watermarking and protective coating, and enable high-impact glossing. Show attendees will also see the new KODAK NEXGLOSSER glossing unit. The NEXGLOSSER unit enables additional printing opportunities for image-rich applications, including book covers, digital photo prints, coffee table books, greeting cards and brochures. It features KODAK NEXPRESS clear dry ink that delivers enhanced image quality and a laminate like gloss for higher marketing impact. The KODAK MAGNUS 800 platesetter also will be shown for the first time in Europe at IPEX. This B1 format CTP imaging device is designed to make production and makeready even faster and delivers extremely high throughput of up to 40 plates per hour. The MAGNUS 800 platesetter is built for all levels of automation, with easy field upgradeability from semi-automatic to an autoloader with single cassette unit, or multi cassette unit for a maximum of 500 plates online. This ergonomically designed model completes the highly successful family of MAGNUS platesetters, which spans B3 to VLF format. To highlight Kodak’s eight page offerings, the MAGNUS 800 platesetter will be shown together with the improved KODAK TRENDSETTER 800 II QUANTUM platesetter, which includes the new X-speed option that achieves up to 35 plates per hour for the manual device (up to 40 pph with the Autoloader). IPEX marks the first showing in Europe of the KODAK Enterprise Management Solution (EMS) Software, a complete business workflow solution for the graphic communications industry that represents a new approach to print management information systems (MIS). Cambridge University Press of Cambridge, England, will become the first European beta site for EMS. Product Upgrades and Technology Demonstrations A range of developments for new KODAK PRINERGY 3.1 workflow systems will be shown at IPEX 2006. By further extending integration, collaboration and automation capabilities, the PRINERGY 3.1 workflow system delivers greater performance, productivity and profitability throughout the unified workflow. It also includes expanded integration with digital print, portal and business workflow solutions, and new enhancements for PDF and color workflows. The PRINERGY workflow system family features configurations for different users such as commercial printers, packaging printers and converters, publishers and ad agencies, and medium size print providers. Led by significantly improved handling of JDF files, new KODAK PREPS 5.2 imposition software helps prepress professionals remove even more manual steps from their preferred workflow by providing digital imposition. PREPS 5.2 software enhances production efficiency by integrating more thoroughly with various workflows and accepting more than 200 types of file inputs. New KODAK PREPS 5.2 imposition software also enhances prepress efficiency and enables greater postpress reliability by automatically generating bar codes that can be read by WST bar code readers. The KODAK NewsManager 1.1 workflow system introduces several new features to help newspapers improve uptime, maximize efficiency and better manage production issues across multiple printing sites. The NewsManager 1.1 system adds an enhanced web based user interface delivering a new generation user experience, including dynamic thumbnail views, new scheduling options, soft proofing, improved security settings and personalized language options. The user interface features full language support (including 16 bit character sets), allowing easy modification for local needs, and enabling users to automatically experience the software in their own language. “These software upgrades make it easy for customers to integrate Kodak’s solutions into their workflow, streamlining production and enhancing efficiency,” said Sandler. Another product development debuts at IPEX as a new feature for the KODAK MAGNUS Very Large Format (VLF) platesetter. The fastest fully automated VLF platesetter on the market, the KODAK MAGNUS VLF platesetter, now features an integrated inline punch to further automate the plate production process. The new fully integrated punch option delivers accurate three point registration, providing critical quality control to help users eliminate costly on press errors. The MAGNUS VLF platesetter produces quality imaging with repeatability, reliability, outstanding automation, improved functionality, and increased speed for large commercial and packaging printers. As a technology demonstration with the NEXPRESS 2100 plus and 2500 presses, visitors will see the integration of the KODAK NEXSTATION IV front end and the PRINERGY workflow system for blended PDF static digital and litho jobs. Comprehensive Portfolio Showcased at IPEX will be Kodak’s unified workflow offerings that deliver greater automation and help printers work more efficiently, enhance print quality, reduce cycle times and expand their service offerings. Enhancements such as the new Layered PDF Versioning and Rules-Based Automation features in the KODAK PRINERGY 3.0 workflow management system expand the scope and power of process automation. The industry’s most comprehensive portfolio will be represented. Visitors will see Kodak’s range of solutions for digital halftone, inkjet and monitor proofing, such as the recently launched KODAK PressProof software that extends the benefits of monitor proofing to the pressroom. In addition to MAGNUS CTP devices, the KODAK TRENDSETTER 800 QUANTUM platesetter will be displayed. Thermal and violet technology CTP plates to be shown include KODAK THERMAL DIRECT non process printing plates, the KODAK ELECTRA Excel Thermal Printing Plate, the KODAK VIOLET PRINT plate and the KODAK SWORD Ultra thermal printing plate—a high quality, no preheat plate capable of up to 400,000 impressions without baking—now in controlled sales in Europe. Also available at IPEX is the KODAK All-in-One CTP Package, a complete B2 CTP prepress solution, including a KODAK MAGNUS 400 CTP platesetter, KODAK PRINERGY Evo PDF processor and plates. Kodak’s high volume inkjet printers, which provide quality, speed and creative flexibility for transactional documents and other applications, will be on display. The KODAK VERSAMARK VX5000e printing system is the latest product in the line of KODAK VERSAMARK continuous inkjet technology. Also featured at IPEX are the KODAK VERSAMARK DS6240, KODAK VERSAMARK DS4350 UV and KODAK VERSAMARK DS5240 printing systems. In addition, Kodak’s software tools for improving efficiency and productivity will be on display. Expanded Presence Kodak technology will be featured in the JDF Pavilion and on a number of exhibitors’ stands, including a MAGNUS 800 platesetter at the KBA booth. Digital plates from Kodak will be used on presses from many major manufacturers throughout the show. The KODAK MATCHPRINT Inkjet 400 proofing system will be featured at booths such as MAN Roland, while PRINERGY workflow systems will be demonstrated at several stands. Other booths showing solutions from Kodak include Apple, Komori and Gretag Macbeth. Kodak will provide a complete prepress solution for the official IPEX Daily newspaper, which will be produced entirely on site at the exhibition. The KODAK prepress solution includes a PRINERGY workflow system spanning image capture to plate production and includes editorial and advertising page production, imposition, page and monitor proofing. The newspaper will be printed using KODAK THERMAL DIRECT non process plates. The IPEX Daily workflow can be seen on the IPEX Daily production booth, also in Hall 5. Speakers from Kodak will share their insights and expertise during a variety of presentations throughout the week. Jim Langley, President of Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company, will give the keynote address at IPEX 2006 at 1400 Friday, April 7, at the INNOV8 Theatre in Hall 10. “IPEX is an exciting time for Kodak,” observed Sandler. “We look forward to showing customers how our solutions and expertise make Kodak the best partner to help them grow their businesses.”