DUSSELDORF, Germany--May 6, 2004-- EFI, the world leader in digital imaging and print management solutions for commercial and enterprise printing, today announced its powerful EFI Hagen OA(TM) print management information solution (MIS) will be interoperable later this year with leading manufacturers through an EFI JDF Connector. These connections will be demonstrated at drupa in the EFI booth (Hall 4, Stands B34/B40) as well as at the CIP4 JDF Parc (Hall 4, Stand A33). EFI, in collaboration with CIP4, is promoting JDF as the emerging industry standard for electronic job ticketing that enables interoperability across the printing process. CIP4 currently has 219 members from organizations across the graphic arts industry including manufacturers, trade associations and printing companies. Through the JDF Connector, EFI's Hagen MIS software will enable seamless bi-directional communication between various industry solutions, enabling automated machine set-up and shop floor data retrieval that will increase productivity and cost-effectiveness of print shop management. EFI is working with a "who's who" of equipment manufacturers to test and finalize Hagen OA connectivity. Technology demonstrations with Komori, MAN Roland, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Ryobi, Sakurai, Screen and others will be on display at drupa. When this connectivity is available for general release, Hagen OA software will help print businesses collect, share, analyze and respond to information in real time, integrating an intelligent estimating system with high-end applications for job management, purchasing, scheduling, inventory, accounting and fulfillment. "The goal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing is to close costly gaps between individual steps of the printing process", said Marc Olin, Vice President/General Manager, EFI Commercial Print Systems. "The JDF connectors are a vital component of a true CIM solution where information is shared, in real-time, between production and management processes enabling more accurate, effective and profitable process development and control. These efforts demonstrate the success of the JDF specification and the ICS efforts within CIP4. JDF is ready to use today." Hagen Connectivity with EFI OneFlow In addition to open integration with external vendors, Hagen OA will use the CIP4 Association's ICS definitions to enable JDF connectivity to EFI OneFlow(TM). EFI OneFlow lets print shops automate prepress functions to streamline digital and offset printing and proofing. It integrates powerful tools to automatically convert files to PDF, preflight, trap, impose, correct, RIP, soft proof and more. EFI OneFlow captures, creates, and processes valid JDF for each of these tools and provides for integration with third party workflow tools that emit and/or consume (valid) JDF. With EFI OneFlow, any employee can master the prepress management process from desktop and output files to shop floor production.