Metrix® 3.1, Enhanced JDF Connectivity, to be Showcased

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—May 22, 2008—LithoTechnics, developer of Metrix, award-winning, intelligent job planning and imposition system, announced today that their Drupa lineup will feature Metrix 3.1, premiering support for “jog to foot” or “low folio lap” books. Metrix 3.1 also includes enhanced JDF binding compatibility, adding support for Muller Martini saddle-stitchers and perfect binders.

Australian and US representatives of LithoTechnics will be demonstrating Metrix in Hall 7, Stand 7.0 J, located in the Drupa Innovation Parc JDF Experience. LithoTechnics will participate in JDF interoperability demonstrations with numerous JDF Experience partners, including Dalim, Kodak, and Optimus.

Rohan Holt, President of LithoTechnics, said, “We are proud to introduce another milestone innovation in Metrix 3.1 – support for ‘jog to foot’ or ‘low folio lap’ books, completely automating the conversion to or from ‘jog to head’ even for complex books with flaps on pages or exotic folds.” Holt continued, “Another major enhancement in Metrix 3.1, JDF export to Muller Martini stitchers and perfect binders, will provide our customers with yet another advantage in automating production, so important in today’s environment of intense competition and challenging business conditions.”

Markus Schluep, Muller Martini Project Manager, remarked: “The largest obstacle to full bindery JDF integration has been the lack of an ‘agent’ to write Job Definition Format (JDF) files that include bindery specifications for cutting, folding, saddle stitching and perfect binding. LithoTechnics’ Metrix software allows printers to conquer this hurdle. The geometry that is already entered into Metrix, including trim size, laps, head trim, offsets, etc, can easily be exported as standard CIP4 JDF. These JDF job tickets can be read by our saddle stitchers and perfect binders, and save significant set up time. This process also ensures that the machine is set up to the exact dimensions that were used to paginate, proof, print, cut and fold the signatures. Redundancy in data entry is eliminated, steps in the make-ready process are reduced, and mistakes are a thing of the past. This is precisely the workflow that many bindery managers have been looking for.” Mr. Schluep concluded by saying, “LithoTechnics has allowed the binding industry to achieve a new technology milestone, and we applaud their accomplishment.”

The Metrix 3.0 family includes Metrix Commercial, Metrix Max, Metrix X-8 and Metrix X-80, targeted at different segments of the commercial print market. All editions are available on Mac OS X and Windows, and all automatically plan and impose flat, folded, and bound work. All editions can import JDF and export imposed PDF. Select editions include Auto Plan, and export various forms of JDF for prepress and finishing. The entire Metrix family is available in English, German, Spanish, and French.

About LithoTechnics
LithoTechnics is a privately held company founded in 2003 by Rohan Holt. Holt is the original inventor of SuperImpose™, the product that was adapted and renamed UpFront® when it was acquired by ScenicSoft in 1999. Metrix, LithoTechnics’ flagship product, received the prestigious 2005 PIA/GATF InterTech™ Technology Award, recognized industry-wide as a symbol of technological innovation and excellence. With offices in Phoenix, Arizona, and south of Sydney, Australia, LithoTechnics is a software company focused on providing key tools and technologies to enable print workflow automation. LithoTechnics is a full member of the CIP4 Organization.