HUDSON, N.H., Oct. 19 -- Presstek, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing business solutions for the graphic arts markets, today reported that it generated strong results at the Graph Expo 2006 exhibition, further demonstrating that Presstek products are accurately targeting the business needs of the print market. Customers responded enthusiastically with strong interest and multiple commitments for Presstek products at Graph Expo, North America's largest printing trade show, held at McCormick Place, Chicago October 15-18, 2006. Graph Expo 2006 Results * Over $5 million in customer commitments, including more than one dozen DI presses * Over 500 qualified sales leads recorded for Presstek's full line of business solutions for print service providers "I believe that Presstek's successful performance at Graph Expo underscores how well our business solutions fit the needs of today's print market, especially our DI press and true chemistry-free computer-to-plate solutions," said Ed Marino, Presstek's president and CEO. "The growth opportunity for the market is clearly in short-run color printing. Presstek products fit this growth opportunity by delivering high-quality, fast turnaround, and cost effective short-run color printing that ultimately enables higher profitability for print service providers. The customer response at the show further validates Presstek's fit for this mainstream growth model." Marino continued, "We debuted our new 52DI in North America at the show. It was very clear that this product helped us attract a new type of customer with higher production needs. We can also service a wider range of applications with larger print format requirements." According to market research conducted by Dr. Joseph Webb of Strategies for Management, "Much of the print industry's decline in shipments volume has been in long-run printed documents. Short-run is actually mainstream. Short-run printing weighs on the capital base that was purchased to produce long-run printing, and until that installed base is replaced, profits are negatively affected." Dr. Webb concludes, "Presstek has a unique opportunity and position in the reshaping of the printing industry's workflow and production methods. Presstek as a company, and print as a medium, are at a fascinating crossroads of technology, market opportunities, and competition. The company's products allow printers to compress their workflow to eliminate costly steps, leveraging the modern content creator's capabilities to make better, richer, and more predictable printable files." "This was an exciting show for Presstek. Our booth was filled with high-quality prospects throughout the exhibition. Print service providers demonstrated their enthusiastic embrace of Presstek products through the customer commitments and qualified leads that we received," said Emile Tabassi, Presstek's sales vice president for North America. "There is strong interest in our chemistry-free computer-to-plate systems. And, the response to the North American debut of the Presstek 52DI revealed how this press can expand into additional markets such as the larger, higher production shops that are looking for a smarter way to print. Needless to say, our sales force is energized by the opportunities they see in the market." Tim Alton, president of Murray Printing, the first North American company to install a 52DI concurs, "Our business has grown to the point where the decision to upgrade to the Presstek 52DI was an easy one. Its larger format size and increased throughput allows us to produce even more printing projects per day, while keeping up with the exacting demands of our customers. It is the ideal complement to our two-color and digital toner-based presses."