Konica Minolta and EFI Deliver New, Advanced Fiery Server for Production Print Environments; Industry-leading Fiery Server's Most Advanced Color and Productivity Features Now Available for bizhub PRO C500

Business Wire, Sept 1, 2005

RAMSEY, N.J. & FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) and EFI (Nasdaq:EFII), the world leader in digital imaging and print management solutions for commercial and enterprise printing, today announced the availability of the newest, most advanced Fiery(R) server for the bizhub PRO C500. The unique modularity of the powerful Fiery IP-901 External Image Controller makes the 50-ppm bizhub PRO C500 an ideal solution in every production print environment: commercial print, light production, corporate reprographic departments, graphics-intensive (graphic arts, creative services, prepress/proof) and print for pay environments.

The newly enhanced Fiery IP-901 is the latest result of the successful, long-standing Konica Minolta-EFI relationship. Konica Minolta customers deploying Fiery technology experience seamless integration with other EFI-based products, including the industry's leading web-to-print solution, Digital StoreFront(TM), which recently won the 2005 BERTL's Best Innovation Award, and the MicroPress(R) ProSeries 7.0 production print workflow solution.

"Our bizhub PRO C500 customers in high volume environments ranging from commercial print to graphics-intensive offices have realized tremendous value with the Fiery server's superior color and productivity," said Kevin P. Kern, vice president, product planning and development, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. "EFI's modular approach with the Fiery server enables us to offer the ideal solution for every bizhub PRO C500 customer -- and we are pleased to now offer the even greater efficiency, quality and reliability capabilities EFI has developed for the IP-901 External Image Controller."

"At 12 million users worldwide, Fiery is the undisputed market leader, and we believe that's because we constantly deliver valuable innovation that helps printers move their business forward," said Frank Mallozzi, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing, EFI. "For Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C500 customers, we have advanced the IP-901's flexible, WYSIWIG workflow and now offer the printing optimizing capabilities of the new Fiery Production Printing Package to enable the absolute fastest output of the most complex documents."

The IP-901 External Image Controller combines a powerful hardware platform with versatile, integrated system software. The Fiery server's robust suite of color precision and control tools make it an indispensable tool for graphic arts professionals. Fiery VDP support and advanced workflow further enables the Konica Minolta C500 to satisfy the professional environment's most demanding production and quality requirements -- while maintaining superior dependability and flexibility.

The following describes the powerful features of the Fiery IP-901 External Image Controller, and the available options that ensure customization to each customer's specific requirements.

--  Fiery IP-901 Standard Configuration Key Features

    Fiery Command WorkStation(R), which recently won a 2005 BERTL's
Best Award, sets the standard in centralized print job management with
an intuitive interface and a variety of sophisticated,
productivity-enhancing tools. Also available for the Macintosh
operating system, Command WorkStation has the flexibility to be run on
multiple client stations as well as locally when equipped with the
optional Fiery Advanced Controller Interface kit.
    The Industry's Most Advanced Workflow -- The S300 Version 2
includes the highly flexible workflow for which the Fiery server is
renowned. The IP-901 workflow is WYSIWYG and consistent, whether the
job is VDP or non-VDP.
    Spot-On(R) Precision Color Matching with Substitute Color
accurately reproduces named and custom colors, and modifies spot color
values to achieve color matching with pinpoint precision.
    EFI Hot Folders automates batch processing of PostScript and PDF
files.
    Auto-trapping -- Pre-production, configurable auto trapping
settings enable greater flexibility and control, resulting in
significant print quality improvements for different print
environments.
    Driver-based Imposition -- this booklet maker offers comprehensive
booklet imposition.
    Powerful Options that customize the Fiery IP-901 for any
Professional Print Environment include:

    --  Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition -- Going beyond the
        built-in Fiery graphic arts functionality inherent to the
        Fiery IP-901, this suite of applications enables preeminent
        color quality. Easily integrating into existing graphic arts
        workflows, the Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition utilizes
        the most advanced tools for color proofing and control.
        Premium power tools include Image Viewer, which offers a fast,
        accurate softproofing interface that zooms to the dot cell
        level; file converters for Hot Folders to streamline job
        submission from other graphic arts workflows; advanced
        trapping settings; and control bars and post-flight reports
        for more sophisticated trouble-shooting and controlling
        output.

    --  Impose Fiery Edition. This WYSIWYG client/server-based
        imposition application enables entire documents to be imposed,
        edited and assembled quickly, before RIPping the files.
        Providing the unique ability to create an unlimited number of
        new custom imposition templates, Impose Fiery Edition is
        independent of platform, application and file format, and
        supports a wide variety of source documents, including all VDP
        languages.

    --  The Fiery Production Printing Package delivers unprecedented
        production management capability, functionality that is
        exclusively provided by EFI. The Package is a set of
        breakthrough job management and submission tools that enable
        the bizhub PRO C500 to deliver the fastest output for the most
        elaborate, complicated print jobs.

        --  The Fiery Production Printing Package also greatly abates
            the need for operator intervention and maximizes the full
            functionality of the bizhub PRO C500 finishing options.

        --  EFI Compose is integral to the Package as its advanced
            preview and editing capability readily handles complex
            composition.

        --  Paper Catalog is a system-based paper warehouse database
            included with the Package. Automating media control and
            easing operator intervention, Paper Catalog stores
            attributes of the entire media stock available at the
            warehouse of a production site.

        --  EFI Color Profiler(TM) -- This Fiery advanced color
            management tool is a color measurement solution for
            generating ICC-compliant device profiles, optimizing print
            quality and helping to produce color consistency between
            printers. Color Profiler provides the digital color
            hardware and software needed to intuitively create color
            profiles and deploy them in any workflow. The ES-1000
            handheld spectrometer is included to instantly and
            accurately measure the full visible spectrum of light
            reflected from color samples. The ES-1000 can also be used
            as a densitometer to measure a printer's daily color
            fluctuations for calibration purposes.

        --  The Fiery Advanced Controller Interface kit enables
            Command WorkStation to be run locally at the Fiery, making
            it ideal for operator-centric environments. The Fiery
            stand, custom-designed furniture, is also included in this
            option.