CHICAGO, September 10, 2007-xpedx Printing Technologies will open the first-ever Ryobi press demonstration and learning center on Oct. 22 in Lenexa, Kansas.  Printers are invited to bring their toughest print jobs to test the capabilities of Ryobi equipment first-hand.
The 20,000 square-foot center will provide high-level education and demonstrations of Ryobi press capabilities, as well as detailed information on the latest print technologies such as UV, chemical embossing, spot-metallic color and lenticular printing.
xpedx Printing Technologies is the exclusive marketer and distributor of Ryobi-branded printing equipment in the U.S.  xpedx has a network of 50 sales and service dealers for Ryobi presses nationwide.
Presses shown at the Lenexa facility will rotate, enabling printers to see demonstrations and gain extensive technical and business knowledge about specific Ryobi presses.  When the facility opens, the following presses will be shown:
- RYOBI 755. A 23x29" five-color press with coater.
- RYOBI 525GX.  A 14x20", high-speed two-up sheetfed press with coater.
- RYOBI 784E.  An economy, 23x31" four-color, six-up press that requires 40 percent less floor space than the RYOBI 754.  It has all the capabilities of a 23x29" press with a smaller footprint and a bigger sheet size.
- RYOBI 524HE. An entry level, economy 14x20" two-up, four-color press.
- RYOBI 3404E DI.  An A3-plus size portrait format 4-color offset press with direct imaging.
xpedx Printing Technologies wants to showcase Ryobi print quality and press performance through Ryobi Print Test Challenges.  Printers can send in their most challenging print jobs to the center where facility technicians will demonstrate how Ryobi presses can print high-lpi screens and heavy solids on challenging substrates.  
In addition to showing press capabilities up close-an "under the hood" look-the new demo and learning center will double as a complete pre-production facility, with part of it strictly dedicated to managing and handling digital files.  Technicians at the center will produce plates and demonstrate a variety of production scenarios and workflows.
The facility also is GRACoL G7 certified to meet state-of-the-art print production standards.  A full-time technician certified to teach G7 process controls for printing, including press fingerprinting, ICC profiling and color management will be on staff at the facility.  The company will also host G7-certification classes at the center to train individuals to become G7-certified consultants.
"Our technical expertise is where we really differentiate ourselves from other demo centers.  We can help printers bring the latest print technologies to their customers-cost-effectively and with strong ongoing support from xpedx, our network of 50 dealers and Ryobi," said Darren George, operations manager of xpedx Printing Technologies.
xpedx Printing Technologies has six staff members on site to educate printers as well as train new Ryobi press owners.  Staff includes a technical support person from Japan on site, year round and a newly named sheetfed press demonstrator and trainer, William Stahl.  Stahl is a 21-year-veteran pressman with expertise in UV production equipment, high-end bookwork, annual report production and more.
International Paper and Stora Enso are the preferred providers of uncoated and coated papers to the Ryobi demonstration and learning center as well as for all tradeshows.