KENNESAW, Ga., January 12, 2003 – Heidelberg’s Prinect Printready has been rated as one of the hot new products of 2003 by Electronic Publishing. The annual designation is based on “new products and technologies…that truly stand out from the pack,” according to the publication. The selection committee was comprised of Electronic Publishing editorial staff, including Frank Romano, founder and senior contributing editor; Ira Gold, contributing technology editor; Nancy Hitchcock, senior associate editor; Courtney Howard, managing editor; and Keith Hevenor, editor. The staff reviewed the new products Electronic Publishing covered over the last year, compiled a list of nominees and then voted. Prinect Printready was one of only 11 new products honored by the publication. “Acknowledgements like this reflect the progress Heidelberg has made in developing our business – and serving our customers – around the world,” said Dennis Ryan, product manager, Prinect prepress products. “We are constantly looking for ways to re-engineer and improve our printing solutions, so it’s an honor to know our efforts are being recognized.” Prinect Printready provides customers the ability to map all of their prepress tasks in a freely configurable, fully automated digital workflow system. With Printready, customers are able to efficiently control and manage all prepress processes, from handling electronic client file submission to generating fully imposed computer-to-plate output. The Prinect Printready System is not just aimed at Heidelberg's existing customers, who come from all sections of the graphic arts industry but the open system concept is also suitable for companies using products from other vendors. In its review of Prinect Printready, Electronic Publishing noted that “with its open, JDF-based workflow systems, Heidelberg is aiming to integrate all processes from prepress to press and finishing. The Prinect Printready System is fully modular, in line with the basic principle of Prinect, so that customers can select individual components and add them to the overall system depending on their specific requirements. The Prinect Printready System provides the opportunity to map and automate prepress tasks in a freely configurable, digital workflow, and is the first step in what will ultimately be a full CIP4 solution.”