Electronics for Imaging and AGFA Announce Worldwide Strategic Partnership; AGFA To OEM Fiery SI Color Server In Europe

Business Wire, March 17, 1998

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1998--Electronics for Imaging, Inc. (NASDAQ:EFII), a pioneer and leading supplier of technologies for high-quality digital color printing over computer networks, today announced a worldwide strategic partnership with AGFA Gevaert N.V. An immediate outcome of the new partnership is that AGFA will OEM EFI's Fiery SI Color Server in Europe. The AGFA Phenom-si, based on the Fiery SI, is optimized to deliver both high-speed throughput for business graphics applications, and high-quality output for more demanding graphic arts applications.

"EFI has always viewed AGFA as an important company in our industry," said Dan Avida, president and CEO of EFI. "We are pleased to embark on this new OEM relationship, and to work together with AGFA in the markets they serve."

About the Phenom-si

Available in Europe, the Phenom-si offers a feature set and performance not found on color servers costing thousands more and will provide connectivity to AGFA's popular digital color copiers -- the XC707 and the XC907 -- turning the copiers into networked printing and scanning devices.

"The Phenom-si is an important addition to AGFA's established range of color connectivity products and will enable us to more broadly target the corporate and copy shop sectors of the networked color market," said Peter de Beukelarr, director of AGFA copier division. "EFI has been highly successful in offering corporate and copy shop users on-demand color solutions that enable them to benefit from fast, easy to use, high quality color printing."

About AGFA-Gevaert N.V.

The AGFA-Gevaert Group is a prominent European developer and producer of analog and digital imaging systems. AGFA has a complete range of analog and digital black and white copiers and color systems for copying and digital printing.

In addition to office copying systems the company also markets films, photo paper and finishing equipment, photographic and electronic systems for the graphic arts industry, medical diagnosis and non-destructive testing, micrography and films for cinema.

The Group's headquarters is at Agfa-Gevaert N.V. in Mortsel, Belgium, where the business groups Graphic Systems and Technical Imaging are located. Some 22,000 people worldwide work for AGFA and sales in 1996 amounted to more than 7 billion DM. Visit the AGFA web site at www.Agfa.com for more information.

About Electronics for Imaging

Electronics for Imaging, Inc. (EFI) is the industry pioneer and market leader in the development of products and technologies that enable high-quality digital color printing over computer networks. The company's Fiery Color Servers incorporate advanced hardware and software technologies to achieve fast, photographic-quality color output and provide network connectivity for a range of devices, including digital color copiers from all leading vendors, wide-format plotters and digital presses. Fiery Driven Controllers leverage these technologies to increase the output speed and improve the print quality of digital copiers and desktop color laser printers, while Fiery Prints are renowned as the reference standard for high quality, cost effective digital color output.

EFI's products are distributed by the company's blue-chip OEM partners -- Agfa, Canon, Epson, IBM, Kodak/Danka Business Systems, Konica, Minolta, Oce, Ricoh, Sharp and Xerox. Fiery Color Servers and Fiery Driven color printers are installed worldwide in leading corporations, advertising agencies, graphic design studios and print-for-pay businesses. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., the company employs more than 538 people and has 24 worldwide sales offices. Its stock is traded on the NASDAQ national market system under the symbol EFII.

Additional information regarding Electronics for Imaging may be obtained by calling the company directly at 650/286-8600, or through public sources, including the company's SEC filings. Electronics for Imaging may also be reached on the World Wide Web at http://www.efi.com.

Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties as discussed more fully in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. -0-

Note to Editors: EFI, the EFI logo, Fiery, the Fiery logo, Fiery Driven, the Fiery Driven logo, ColorWise, RIP-While-Print, PowerPage, the PowerPage logo, PowerBand, PowerSmooth, PSClone and PSView are registered trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and certain other foreign jurisdictions.

Fiery Prints, Fiery ZX, Fiery LX, Fiery SI, Fiery XJ, Fiery XJe, Fiery XJ-W, BookletMaker, Fiery Downloader, Fiery Scan, Fiery Spooler, RIPChips, WebTools, WebSpooler, WebInstaller, WebStatus, Command WorkStation, Continuous Print, DocBuilder, EFICOLOR, EFICOLOR Works, FreeForm, Memory Multiplier, NetWise, STARR Compression, and Welcome to the Revolution are trademarks of Electronics for Imaging, Inc.

All other terms and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, and are hereby acknowledged.