Eshcer-Grad Turned Heads at IPEX 2002 with the Cobalt Series of Violet Laser CTP Systems

Montreal, Canada -- May 10th, 2002 --IPEX 2002 held in Birmingham, United Kingdom in early April propelled the Cobalt line of violet laser platesetters into the limelight. Escher-Grad closed an impressive twenty units of Cobalt platesetters over the nine days of the global technological trade show and has doubled this number in the last month since the close of the exhibition.

Word at the event was that attendance was down significantly from the previous show, however the Escher-Grad stand displayed no effect whatsoever where 450 demonstrations were performed over nine days. Both Cobalt-4, Escher-Grad's most recent product, as well as its predecessor, Cobalt-8, were displayed at the show.

"IPEX was as complete a vindication of our strategy as we could have wished for," said Keith Fisher, Business Development Manager for Escher-Grad. " We know that 85 percent of printers don't have CTP for one simple reason: Price! The Cobalt series match and exceed our competitors quality, speed and reliability speculations at a third of their purchase and support prices - it's what technology is supposed to do!"

Escher-Grad pulled off a significant first at IPEX with revolutionary pricing for the Cobalt series of CTP systems. The launch of Escher-Grad's latest CTP system, the Cobalt-4?, at the European show certainly turned heads. Priced at a remarkable $49,995 US (?35,000), the Cobalt?4? is the most flexible CTP system in its class. Capable of imaging single-page (A4) through to 4-up (B2) size plates varying in thickness from 6 to 20 mils on both silver-based and photopolymer plates, the Cobalt-4? delivers the highest quality imaging at a price less than most imagesetters. A full size 4-up (B2) plate is imaged in 2.2 minutes at 2400 dpi.

Full service media operation, Mannin Media Group Limited of the Isle of Man, purchased a Cobalt-4 platesetter on the first day of the exhibition. "We have been looking at developments in this area for some time. We originally felt it prudent to wait for the technology to 'settle down' following the introduction of CTP." Said Colin Brown, Chief Executive of Mannin Media. "Now, with the introduction of Cobalt-4, we decided that the time was right. The new system provides us with all the technology we need to improve both turnaround times and quality."

Launched in 1999, the Cobalt-8, the world's first violet 8-up platesetter laid the ground-work for violet CTP. Now with two plate technologies from four major industry suppliers, Agfa, Fuji, Mitsubishi Imaging, Lastra, formerly Western Lithotech, and other suppliers quickly joining the violet consumables market, violet CTP is fast becoming the industry standard.

Established in 1986, Montreal-based Escher-Grad designs, manufactures and markets advanced, high-resolution laser imaging systems solutions that markedly increase productivity for the graphic arts and printed circuit board industries. All products are backed by a worldwide sales and support network with systems installed in more than 35 countries around the world.

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