HUDSON, N.H., Sept. 12 -- Presstek, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of environmentally responsible digital offset printing solutions for the graphic arts markets, today announced plans to showcase a broad array of products that enable print service providers to leverage short-run color business opportunities -- the fastest growing segment of the printing market -- at Graph Expo 2006 (Booth #3822), the largest North American printing trade show scheduled for October 15th through 18th, 2006, at McCormick Place in Chicago. "The demand for high-quality, short-run color is no longer an emerging trend, but a daily reality for today's print service providers. While market data shows that other areas of the print market are shrinking, short-run color is growing. We are excited to demonstrate how our range of digital solutions addresses that growth opportunity for today's print service providers," said Ed Marino, Presstek's President and CEO. "Whether they choose to address this opportunity with the speed, quality and profitability of a highly-automated DI press or with the efficiency and high quality of chemistry-free CTP platemaking for conventional offset, Presstek solutions are designed to be the fastest path to the digital future for printing establishments, regardless of their size." Customers are Realizing Results with Presstek Solutions Presstek-enabled DI presses are providing many businesses with the benefits of faster, more cost effective print production. Fourth generation printer Grover Daniels, CEO of Boston's Copy Cop, installed a DirectPress 5334DI as the centerpiece of the company's closed door production facility supporting eight retail locations. He says, "When I first started the work of turning around the company, my strategy was to focus on toner-based production printing. But we were seeing a huge demand for higher quality, faster turns, and we came to the conclusion that adding a DI press to the mix would put us in an entirely different category, and it has. The DI is incredible. I am up to 7,000 impressions per hour with sellable sheets almost as soon as I start printing." Mellon Financial's Corporate Publications Department provides services to their in-plant operations as well as to insourced work from other companies. They were seeking a metal computer-to-plate technology in order to keep the operation profitable and selected the Presstek Vector TX52 with chemistry-free Freedom plates and a Presstek Facet RIP. Manager Michael Renn comments, "Like the rest of the industry, we were seeing increasing demand for shorter runs and faster turn times with no compromise in quality. While our toner-based production allowed us to cost effectively produce ultra short runs, we needed to find a more efficient solution for longer runs in order to remain competitive. I liked the Vector because it was economical and chemistry-free. Some of the systems I looked at cost more than our presses. I had been waiting for a metal plate solution that could deliver against our requirements, and the Vector TX52 was able to do that. The Presstek Vector TX52 with Freedom plates was the simplest and best solution in the market. There are very few products for which I would give a strong recommendation, but in this case, I would more than recommend this product to anyone needing a high quality, cost effective metal platemaking solution." Presstek solutions that will be demonstrated at Graph Expo 2006 include: Presstek 52DI Press The Presstek 52DI, making its North American debut at Graph Expo, is one of the most efficient and profitable presses ever brought to market in the 52cm landscape format size. The 52DI offers print service providers the opportunity to capitalize on the short-run color growth market by producing high quality printing -- fast, efficiently and profitably. The automation and inherent quality of the landscape format makes high quality printing easier than ever before with less dependence on operator training and experience. More work can be produced on the 52DI in less time than with a conventional press and eliminates the workflow steps and costs associated with other methods of printing plate production. Superior quality printing of up to 300 lpi and FM screening can be achieved easily without incurring additional time or expense. This high level of automation, ease-of-use and operating speed of up to 10,000 sheets an hour makes this the fastest path from digital file to sellable press sheet. This total makeready is accomplished in approximately 10 minutes, including plate imaging and coming up to color within about 20 sheets. DirectPress 5634DI Press Like the 52DI, the 34cm four-color DirectPress is ideally suited for quick turnaround, short-run color printing. Presstek's DI technology images all four plates simultaneously in precise register, going from file to sellable sheets in approximately 10 minutes, with fewer makeready sheets than conventional offset. This streamlined workflow reduces the time and cost to turn a job around. Delivering high quality printing while handling a wide range of substrates up to 20 pt. (0.5mm), the DI press is twice as profitable as conventional offset, and up to four times more profitable than copier-based technology for short-run color according market research conducted by InfoTrends. DI presses help print service providers meet the demand for short-run, fast turnaround, high quality color printing at lower costs while improving their productivity, efficiency and quality levels. Presstek Dimension425 Excel CTP Systems This easy-to-use four-page CTP system provides the reliability, versatility, speed, and quality that printers-especially mid-size and smaller shops-demand from their investment dollars. It has an extremely small footprint and is optimized to work with Presstek's chemistry-free Anthem Pro plate for a high performance print solution with a streamlined workflow and high quality printed results. The Presstek Anthem Pro chemistry-free plate is a new generation chemistry-free thermal plate that optimizes the advantages and proven capabilities of a grained anodized surface and requires only a simple water rinse after imaging to prepare the plate for printing. Anthem Pro provides improved ink/water latitude, greater color stability and better overall print performance. Like all of Presstek's CTP plate products, Anthem Pro offers truly chemistry-free performance. It does not require any gumming, baking or chemical processing and is engineered to support run lengths up to 100,000 impressions. Vector TX52 Chemistry-free CTP System The Presstek Vector TX52 with Presstek Freedom plates is a chemistry-free platesetter that provides the small format (52cm and under) printer with an affordable metal platemaking solution for higher productivity, cleaner operation and lower production costs. After imaging, Freedom plates are automatically cleaned with water in the Vector's integrated plate washer and exit the system ready for mounting on press. Freedom plates require no baking, special cleaning fluids, or gumming, resulting in less waste material and a more environmentally friendly print shop. These plates are ideally suited for high-quality, short-run printing with run lengths up to 25,000. Presstek Aurora Plate Chemistry-free Plate By eliminating chemistry from the process, Aurora plates simplify platemaking and reduce the total cost of ownership for third-party (non-Presstek) CTP thermal imaging systems. This chemistry-free, daylight-safe plate requires only a simple water rinse and enables up to 200 lpi printing and stochastic screening. Aurora is an anodized aluminum plate with ultra-high resolution, high-speed plate that provides superior on-press performance and supports run lengths up to 50,000. Presstek Facet RIP: Enables Efficient Digital Workflow Presstek Facet RIP enables ease-of-integration and management of the entire digital workflow from this Fiery-based RIP. Developed in collaboration with EFI, this RIP is an affordable, high performance digital front-end that has been qualified for operation with all Presstek- and ABDick-branded digital output devices. Facet also connects to most Fiery-driven devices and inkjet proofers, as well as a wide range of color and B&W production devices, delivering a true hybrid offset/digital workflow. Presstek Facet RIP sets a new standard for connectivity in digital and offset environments with advanced digital prepress capabilities in an easy-to-use, cost-effective software solution. Presstek Momentum RIP The Harlequin-based Momentum RIP is compatible with PostScript Level 3 and PDF 1.5 specifications and supports applications that generate PDF and PDF/X files. Based on Harlequin's most current RIP release, Momentum RIP 7.0 supports Presstek's DPM, Vector and Dimension Series CTP solutions as well as Presstek-enabled DI presses. ABDick Digital PlateMaster 34 HSC -- Designed for use with small-format portrait presses, this polyester platesetter supports screen rulings up to 175 lpi, and is ideally suited for a wide range of applications -- from simple spot color jobs to more intricate two- and four-color process work. ABDick 9985A-ICS Two-Tower Offset Press -- Suitable for spot, multi and process color printing, this true two-color offset press is equipped with an array of features that simplify operation and consistently deliver high quality output. Excellent quality can be achieved with minimal operator skills. Presstek on the Road Presstek is hosting a series of open houses that will be featuring many of the breakthrough technologies being demonstrated at Graph Expo. To schedule a personal demonstration at Graph Expo or for more information about Presstek Open Houses, visit http://www.presstek.com/events or call 1-800-524-0003 x3599 (1-603-594-8585, x3599 from outside the United States).