Presstek Introduces CTP, DI and Workflow Solutions

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—May 30, 2008—Presstek Inc., the leading manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing business solutions, is showcasing its full range of environmentally friendly digital printing solutions at drupa 2008, the world’s largest printing trade show scheduled for May 29th through June 11th, 2008, at the Messe Düsseldorf in Germany. Presstek can be found in Stand A55, Hall 04.

“This important global trade event provides a tremendous opportunity for the worldwide printing community to gather every four years to review the current state of the industry, and we are excited to have such an impressive collection of new and innovative digital offset printing solutions to share with attendees,” said Jeff Jacobson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Presstek. “With increased focus on the environment and the printing community’s growing demand for digital solutions that boost productivity and profitability, Presstek’s expanded presence is sure to draw significant attention from attendees representing printing companies of all sizes who are looking for solutions to help them address these issues. Our high quality, fully integrated digital solutions and services are the right products at the right time for printers looking to set a profitable path to the future.”

During the show, visitors will be able to see a full range of CTP platesetters and chemistry-free plates, DI® digital offset presses and workflow solutions in the Presstek stand. Presstek experts will be on hand to answer questions and help visitors select the right solutions to meet their business needs. “drupa 2008 is of particular importance to Presstek,” added Jacobson, “as we work to expand our global presence and move our products into larger printing firms as we expand our existing customer base. It is the perfect venue to display a new, more aggressive Presstek with the broadest digital product portfolio in our entire two-decade history.”

The company will be showing Presstek-branded and partner products that offer the ability to improve the competitiveness, profitability and capability of printing firms worldwide, delivering A Smarter Way to Print. These include:

Computer-to-Plate Solutions

Compass Series Platesetters. At drupa, Presstek is introducing a new family of platesetters, which includes the Compass 4000 Series, 4-up platesetters, and the Compass 8000 Series, 8-up platesetters. This highly productive platesetting family, ranging in production speeds from 15 to 38 plates per hour, is ideal for a wide range of printing environments. Presstek Compass platesetters, imaging up to 250 lpi (100 l/cm), are offered for use with Presstek’s Aurora Pro chemistry-free plates and also image a range of low energy (830 nm laser) third-party thermal plates.

Aurora Pro Chemistry-Free Plates. Also being shown for the first time is the Presstek Aurora Pro plate; a true chemistry-free plate that can be imaged on a range of thermal platesetters, including several models distributed by Screen and Kodak (Creo) CTP platesetters, in addition to Presstek’s Compass Series platesetters. Aurora Pro daylight-safe plates are rated up to 25,000 and require only a simple water wash prior to mounting on press; these plates have strong resistance to UV inks and solvents. They can be imaged at a resolution of 1% to 99% dots at 200 lpi (80 l/cm) and stochastic (FM) screening

Vector FL52. This new version of Presstek’s easy-to-use, small format chemistry-free metal platemaking solution features a new imaging system with a fiber laser imaging head that is engineered to deliver excellent dot quality and high reliability. The Vector FL52 supports a wide range of plate sizes. The Vector FL52, with Freedom Pro plates, is available for ordering at drupa 2008, with shipping commencing during the third quarter of 2008.

Freedom Pro Plates. New chemistry-free Freedom Pro plates are optimized to work with the Vector FL52. Their grained anodized surface, based on Presstek’s exclusive Pro graining technology, provides superior print performance, improved roll-up, better ink and water latitude, overall color consistency throughout the press run and excellent on-press handling.

Presstek Dimension Excel Series Platesetters. The popular Presstek Dimension425 Excel 4-up thermal chemistry-free metal platesetter delivers a high performance print solution with a streamlined workflow and high quality printed results with Presstek’s Anthem Pro grained plate. For higher volume environments, the Presstek Dimension450 Excel-AL is a highly automated 4-up chemistry-free metal platesetter. Automated plate handling allows users to preload up to 30 plates and produces plates at a speed of up to 17 Anthem Pro thermal plates per hour.

Anthem Pro Plates. Dimension Excel platesetters and Anthem Pro plates combine to deliver a chemistry-free platemaking solution. The plates are 100% daylight safe and do not require any gumming, baking or chemical processing. Only a simple water wash is required prior to mounting on press. Anthem Pro plates deliver excellent on-press performance, support run lengths up to 100,000 impressions and have strong resistance to UV inks and solvents.

DI Digital Offset Presses

Presstek DI Presses. For companies that are looking for a faster and more profitable way to produce high quality short-run color, then demonstrations of the Presstek 52DI and 34DI are a “must see” at the show. These presses deliver environmentally friendly high quality, short run four-color offset printing, economical in runs as low as 250. Presstek DI presses are the bridge that spans the strategic gap between conventional offset and digital toner-based presses. According to InfoTrends research, the Presstek DI delivers a 50 percent cost savings on average per letter-size page when compared to a high-volume production color digital press and job profitability is 13 percent higher on a DI press when compared to a conventional offset press. Presstek offers a range of highly automated digital offset presses:

Presstek 52DI digital offset press - This landscape digital offset press operates at up to 10,000 B3 pages per hour with a maximum print area of 510 x 360 mm per sheet; one of the largest print areas available in its class.

Presstek 34DI digital offset press - This digital offset press produces up to 7,000 A3 sheets per hour with a maximum sheet size of 340 x 460 mm – will also be featured at the exhibition.

UV Option for DI Presses. Two breakthrough UV printing options will be available for both the Presstek 52DI and 34DI presses. These options increase the flexibility of the DI press by dramatically expanding the range of applications and markets that can be addressed, thereby making it easier for printers to competitively differentiate themselves. UV waterless inks dry instantly and produce superior quality printing, especially on uncoated stock and non-porous substrates, such as foils, vinyls and plastics. The hybrid UV option that allows for switching between standard waterless and UV waterless inks will be available in the fourth quarter of 2008. The UV option for operating the DI as a UV waterless press is being demonstrated on a 52DI press at drupa, and will be available in the third quarter of 2008. Installed 52DI and 34DI presses are field upgradeable to either option.

DI Press and Konica Minolta C6500 Bundle Option. Presstek will also be demonstrating the popular Konica-Minolta bizhub PRO C6500 in its stand at drupa. Presstek’s alliance with Konica Minolta, also announced at drupa, makes the Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C6500 color digital printer available as an optional bundled solution with Presstek DI digital offset presses. This combination brings to market one of the most cost-effective means of producing a wide range of applications, such as personalized print and ultra-short-run versioned documents for use in direct mail campaigns and other integrated marketing initiatives. With this bundled solution, print service providers can print high quality offset shells on the DI press and personalize or version them with the bizhub PRO C6500. This combination delivers fast turnaround of high quality short-run quantities at a competitive cost per piece.

Workflow Solutions

Presstek Latitude. Making its debut at drupa is the highly automated PDF/JDF prepress workflow, powered by EskoArtwork’s Odystar, which streamlines throughput and the processing of files. Its flexible workflow tools allow the automation of more production processes with a wide range of prepress tools that easily accommodate last minute changes, also incorporating advanced screening technologies, a state-of- the-art trapping tool, and integrated imposition options—ensuring high quality, efficiency and productivity.

Presstek PathWay. This affordable, highly scalable Web-to-print solution, powered by Press-sense, is a complete, Web-based, end-to-end print-on-demand workflow and management solution that allows users to create, customize, order, print and deliver in one streamlined, integrated operation. In addition to the basic PathWay platform, add-on modules are available for extra functionality, making this powerful solution scalable from small shops to large operations. PathWay can also be easily linked to Presstek’s range of workflow solutions for maximum automation.

Dynagram inpO2 and inpO2 ATOM. Presstek is now distributing DynaGram’s inpO2 imposition solutions and demonstrating those solutions in its stand at drupa. Customers can choose between the full-featured inpO2 Standard Edition or inpO2 ATOM, the entry-level edition. inpO2 ATOM is ideal for small and medium-sized printers, and as imposition requirements grow more complex, the seamless upgrade path to inpO2 Standard Edition simplifies the addition of new functionality.

Presstek Momentum Pro. Building on its Momentum RIP, Presstek Momentum Pro Integrated PDF Workflow is a fully-integrated RIP and workflow solution designed to streamline and automate the production process using certified PDF tools. Momentum Pro acts as a centralized PDF creation and preflight system, ensuring consistent output to multiple devices for small to mid-sized printers.

“Since joining Presstek as President and Chief Executive Officer in May of 2007, I have been extremely pleased with the response of the organization to the call to action to transform Presstek into a growth business,” said Jacobson. “Key to this transformation is an enhancement of our product portfolio in order to expand both our geographic footprint and the size of printing business we can effectively serve. This activity further positions Presstek to form all-encompassing relationships with all of our customers, large or small, domestic or international. A visit to our stand at drupa will clearly demonstrate the significant progress we have made in this very short time. Visitors who are interested in benefiting from improved efficiency, reduced cost and a responsible environmental footprint are sure to find one or more solutions that will help them achieve those goals.”

About Presstek
Presstek, Inc. is the leading manufacturer and marketer of high tech digital imaging solutions to the graphic arts and laser imaging markets. Presstek’s patented DI®, CTP and plate products provide a streamlined workflow in a chemistry-free environment, thereby reducing printing cycle time and lowering production costs. Presstek solutions are designed to make it easier for printers to cost effectively meet increasing customer demand for high-quality, shorter print runs and faster turnaround while providing improved profit margins. Presstek subsidiary, Lasertel, Inc., manufactures semiconductor laser diodes for Presstek’s and external customers’ applications. For further information visit www.presstek.com , send an e-mail to info@presstek.com or call +44 20 8745 8000 (Europe) or +1 603 595 7000 (North America).

DI, Compass, Vector, Dimension, Aurora Pro, Momentum Pro, PathWay and Latitude are registered trademarks of Presstek, Inc.