Gent (Belgium), March 5, 2008 – EskoArtwork, producer of industry-leading Kongsberg digital finishing systems and state-of-the-art software for preproduction, will demonstrate its expanded offering of applications for signs and displays at Fespa Digital 2008, Stand K70, from April 1-3 in Geneva. In particular, Fespa Digital 2008 marks the launch of SignUp, a new integrated nesting application for sign and display, as well as the European introduction of new, wider Kongsberg

i-XE32 and i-XE54 tables.

Armand Gougay, EskoArtwork Vice President, Sales & Marketing, EMEALA, says: "Sign and display printers are of growing importance to EskoArtwork, and we look forward to demonstrating our expertise during Fespa Digital 2008. Esko Kongsberg have firmly cemented EskoArtwork's market leading position as a supplier of cutting and finishing tables in the sign and display business. They are delivered with a versatile set of tools for cutting and creasing heavy-duty materials that are used in a wide variety of new emerging applications for signs and displays. The Kongsberg tables can work with a very diverse range of substrates-from textiles to heavy-duty Re-Board materials. It is an outstanding investment for the digital printer who is searching for a profitable finishing solution for short run production."

On stand K70, EskoArtwork will present following solutions:

NEW! SignUp: Nesting workflow application for digital sign production

Competition among sign and display businesses is difficult, and companies need ways to reduce costs to increase margins. Built on EskoArtwork's expertise in layout technology for packaging printing, SignUp is a nesting application to efficiently match graphic designs with the available substrate. SignUp nests jobs based on size, shape and ordered quantities, placing designs as tightly as possible onto the substrate, minimizing waste and, thus, reducing production costs. SignUp also reduces preparation times dramatically for operator-intensive tiling jobs, particularly for specially shaped large format displays and substrates that require milling. It fully automates the digital printing and the finishing by reading the printed barcodes with the camera on the finishing device.

Geert De Proost, EskoArtwork Director Digital Converting Software product group, comments: "Sign and display shops are always under pressure for time and cost. With SignUp, EskoArtwork has created a very easy to use, powerful and unique workflow tool that is specifically dedicated to reduce the cost of sign and display production. Utilizing the same expertise and knowledge we have gained from nesting unusual shapes for packaging, we have provided a tool to cut and trim signs and displays efficiently."

Esko Kongsberg i-XE32 digital finishing systems – first demonstration in Europe

For the first time in Europe, EskoArtwork will demonstrate the Esko Kongsberg i-XE32 dieless cutting and creasing table, with a working area of 1300x1620mm. Kongsberg i-XE models provide the highest speed, acceleration and precision cutting available in the graphics industry. Screen printed decals, digitally printed POP displays, and pressure-sensitive films, among others, are perfectly kiss-cut or through-cut, using an advanced motion system and patented i-cut vision system. Esko Kongsberg i-XE tables feature a new tooling system and a lightning-fast motion to increase productivity on a wide range of display substrates.

A variety of tooling includes: a PressCut tool allowing kiss and through cutting within the same job; a VariCut tool used for kiss cutting with fine depth tolerance and through-cutting within the same job; a Static Knife tool for through-cutting of thin, rigid materials such as polycarbonates; a Reciprocating Knife tool suitable for single-flute corrugated board up to and including C-flute and other light-duty fibrous materials; and a Crease tool for creasing folding cartons and corrugated board.

Esko Kongsberg i-XL24

EskoArtwork will also display the Kongsberg i-XL24 large-format finishing table with a powerful MultiCUT toolhead, operating three tools simultaneously, will perform textile cutting with the new RotaCut knife. The Kongsberg i-XL24 complements digital and screen printing, capable of processing the widest range of materials up to 1750 x 3420 mm. The Kongsberg i-XL24 will be demonstrated with a conveyer system combined with an MGE sheet feeding system for continuous material loading for non-stop production.

Structure and graphics design with ArtiosCAD 7.3

ArtiosCAD 7.3 is the ideal structural design system for all corrugated and POP displays. Its design and drafting tools include functions required to get jobs done accurately and efficiently. Complete 3D integration allows for quick prototyping of designs and presentations, eliminating communication errors and reducing design review cycles. Combined with a Kongsberg table, designs can be sent directly to the cutting table to automatically create cutting profiles-using a dry process that allows immediate production of unusual shapes. A company can save considerable time and money, without the need to cut designs manually.

Enfocus PDF data verification and certification in large format printing

Enfocus Neo is a stand-alone PDF viewer and editor to easily edit both text and object content while providing powerful trouble-shooting functionality. Received PDF files are rarely perfect upon reception. Typing errors, wrong images, realignment issues etc. can be corrected or replaced in a matter of seconds. Extra information, like where eyelet holes need to be placed, can easily be added on it's own separation or layer. Enfocus Neo's pre-flighting offers automatic error detection and correction for typical pre-press issues. For manual inspection, it highlights places where ink coverage is above a certain level and reveals areas with overprints, transparency traps and breakouts. Enfocus PitStop Professional's interactive and automated capabilities allow users to perform advanced PDF editing and corrections up until the very last moment. In version 7.5, OS independent color conversions are possible through the addition of two industry standard color engines: Adobe CMS and the open-source "little CMM". Enfocus PitStop Server is a PDF workflow preflighting and auto-correction solution that instantly analyzes, corrects, reports on, and routes files based on the most stringent industry standards. PitStop Server 4.5's reworked user interface allows easy access to hot folder setups, files in process and a complete history log. With a more powerful hot folder function, entire folders can be processed all at once: users have the option to process files in subfolders and recreating the original folder structure at output, or having it flattened. Pre-flight reports can be exported in XML format, enabling detailed analysis of errors and jobs. Version 4.5 also provides support for multiple processors and compatibility for Windows Vista.

All solutions demonstrated at Fespa Digital 2008 are available for immediate delivery.