March 22, 2004 -- Pantone, Inc., a worldwide leader in color communication and color technology based in Carlstadt, N.J., has agreed to purchase a new highly-customized KBA Rapida 105 41”sheetfed offset press from KBA North America, a leading sheetfed offset press manufacturer based in Williston, VT. This will be Pantone’s second sheetfed press from KBA. Two years ago, Pantone, Inc. installed a KBA Rapida 72 six-color plus coater in its pressroom. “In 1963, Pantone embarked on a course to provide the graphic arts industry with a quality and reliable language of color communication,” explains Lawrence Herbert, founder and CEO of Pantone, Inc. “The reproduction of color to exact standards is of vital importance to designers, printers, and clients. Our choice of KBA enhances our ability to achieve a new level of excellence and provide the world with the finest products available.” “Extensive research has been done in the development of this specialized press,” says Ken Niepokoy, vice president of manufacturing and color technology for Pantone,Inc. “It’s been a beneficial relationship in that we’ve been able to teach KBA and they’ve been able to teach us.” The customized KBA Rapida 105 is being built at KBA’s headquarters in Germany. It is scheduled to be tested by Pantone’s founder and CEO, vice president of manufacturing and color technology, technical director, and press crew shortly after Drupa in May and delivered shortly thereafter. Pantone plans to begin printing on the press in early September 2004. Pantone, Inc. chose KBA’s Rapida six-color press plus coater two years ago for its quality. “We have a patented six-color printing process called Hexachrome®,”says Niepokoy. “After careful evaluation of the other printing press manufacturers, we chose KBA for its high quality machinery and service. It is imperative that our brochures and publications are printed with the highest quality. KBA’s presses deliver that high quality for us.” “Only KBA can deliver a highly-customized press like this,” says Ralf Sammeck, KBA’s President and CEO. “We specialize in allowing graphic arts companies to develop comprehensive solutions for their exact needs. We are quite pleased to be delivering this highly-customized Rapida 105 press to Pantone, Inc. Pantone, Inc. has a well-deserved worldwide reputation for quality and color expertise.We’re proud to be counted among their partners. Our long-standing relationship has shown Pantone that we can be trusted to provide high quality printing equipment and top-notch service.” Pantone, Inc., developer of the globally accepted PANTONE® Color Systems, is the leading sourceof traditional and electronic products for the selection and accurate communication of color. With over 40 years of experience, Pantone is recognized as the worldwide market leader in color communication and color technology for the graphic design, printing, publishing, textile and plastics industries. More information is available at www.pantone.com. KBA North America is a leading supplier of sheetfed offset and digital presses located in Williston,VT. It is a member of the KBA Group, a leader in the manufacture of sheetfed offset, digital offset, web offset, rotogravure directory, security, and newspaper presses. Please see photos at: www.kba-print.de/vt/headlines/sheetfed/2004-03-20-00/