April 26, 2004 -- Creo is proud to announce that its HyperFlex(tm) plate resolution enhancement software has been selected as the sole recipient of the 2004 Flexographic Technical Association/Flexo Market News Technical Innovation Award. Established in 1995, this award recognizes companies that have made significant contributions to the advancement of the flexographic printing and converting industry. The competition recognizes products that are judged to be of the highest technical accomplishment while providing the greatest return on capital investment. Creo Quote... "We are extremely pleased with the recognition we have received for HyperFlex-first the 2003 GATF InterTech(tm) Technology Award and now the FTA Technical Innovation Award," stated Chris Allen, Creo worldwide director of packaging. "HyperFlex is just one of a number of Creo digital prepress innovations that is helping our customers raise quality, accelerate job turnaround, and differentiate their businesses. These awards demonstrate the value of these developments to our customers and to the flexo industry as a whole." About HyperFlex... HyperFlex software is a resolution enhancement technology that allows packaging trade shops, printers and converters to produce smaller, more stable dots on flexographic plates and presswork. The ability to produce a smaller minimum dot size increases the effective resolution of the flexo plate, and allows highlights to be reproduced more faithfully, with a less discernible transition in vignettes. HyperFlex complements Creo Maxtoneô screening-the hybrid AM screening solution that overcomes highlight and shadow reproduction limitations. Together, Maxtone and HyperFlex software enhance the quality of flexo printing, and reduce the amount of file manipulation normally required for problematic highlight areas. HyperFlex-Ready Imaging... Creo ThermoFlex CTP imaging devices are designed to maximize the full potential of HyperFlex software. Available in narrow, mid, wide and new sleeve imaging formats, the ThermoFlex product family features industry-leading productivity, ergonomic design, and the flexibility to accommodate film, plates and sleeves with efficiency and ease of use. With new HyperFlex-Ready imaging, flexo printers are increasing the efficiency of prepress and achieving impressive improvements in quality. User Quotes... When asked to comment on several customer print jobs, Anthony Masotti of New York Label said, "To try to achieve the level of quality that is shown on the samples mentioned, a lot of "doctoring" would have been needed. With the HyperFlex and Maxtone combo, we're able to achieve offset-like vignette fades as well as dense solids - on the same plate, using the same standard ink. Absolutely, the results are night and day." Added Les de Villiers of Sheane Graphics, of Richmond, BC, Canada, "We have a new client who worked with a competitor for 15-plus years. They were tired of not getting the results they wanted so they decided to see what our system could do. They say the print quality makes a difference in selling their products. Everything looks brighter, we have better highlights, more contrast, better detail and it's cleaner. It's the way the plates are made with the ThermoFlex and Prinergy Powerpack software-the Maxtone screening and HyperFlex especially. It's a huge advantage for us."