Ryobi Marks U.S. Debut of 8-Color Press, New DI Press with UV Capabilities, New MIS and Workflow Systems at Print 05; Largest-Ever North American Exhibit and Live Demo of Ryobi Printing Presses

Ryobi and its exclusive U.S. distributor xpedx will introduce newprinting presses and workflows at Print 05 as part of Ryobi'slargest-ever print technology exhibit in North America.

The seven-day, live-demo event will underscore Ryobi's emergenceas a major force in larger format printing press markets. Ryobi is atMcCormick Place Booth 2045, from Sept 9-15.

In the U.S., xpedx and Ryobi serve commercial printers,packaging/specialty printers, in-plant printers and quick printers.Customers with Ryobi press installations include Taylor Corporation,AG Edwards, Briggs & Stratton and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Among the items new to the U.S. printing press market and ondisplay at Print 05 are an eight-color press with perfecting and UVcuring; a new DI press using hybrid UV inks and a completeMIS/workflow system that can integrate all aspects of a printingbusiness in real time. Other presses, peripheral equipment and Ryobiproducts/services will also be demonstrated.

"Ryobi offers precision machining, unique cylinder configurations,fewer gripper changes, superior automation as well as a new level ofprinting press and MIS solutions," said Don Harvey, vice president andgeneral manager of Lenexa, Kansas-based xpedx Printing Technologies."For printers, this means better print quality, more efficientworkflow, less make ready time and more profitable printing."

Ryobi and xpedx: presses of all sizes--for printers of any size

Press owners and operators in the U.S. report Ryobi and xpedx havea strong tradition of sales, service and technical support throughtheir network of 50 dealers coast-to-coast. "As xpedx evolves itsRyobi business from what had been a small press/duplicator dealerorganization into a large press organization, Ryobi is becoming animportant new force in the U.S. printing marketplace," Harvey said.

"We can now meet the equipment and service needs of any U.S.company that puts ink to substrate--from the largest of printers tosmall corner print shops," said Darren George, Midwest regional salesmanager for xpedx Printing Technologies. "What they get from us is avery cost effective print solution and strong local service, backed upby one of the world's most successful and proven printing pressmanufacturers."

xpedx recently announced it will expand sales, service andtechnical support of Ryobi presses and will develop a new nationaldemonstration center in metro Kansas City by mid-2006. xpedx alsorecently gave its printing equipment sales and service division a newname, xpedx Printing Technologies.

Executives, sales officials and technicians from Ryobi GraphicSystems in Japan, xpedx Printing Technologies and its national networkof Ryobi dealers will be on hand during Print 05. Harvey will lead thexpedx team.

Print 05 details: North American debut of Ryobi 8-color press, newRyobi DI press with hybrid UV curing; JDF-compliant computerintegrated manufacturing

During Print 05, xpedx Ryobi execs/dealers will demonstrate thecapabilities of the RYOBI 758S 8-color press. It is the first timeRyobi has shown an 8-color press in the U.S. The press is a 4/4perfector with UV curing at the turn.

Ryobi is also unveiling its RYOBI 784EP, a B-2 size 4-color, 6-upoffset unit with an automatic convertible perfecting device, and theRYOBI 3404X-DI (UV), a deluxe DI press with UV curing capabilities.

"No other manufacturer in the world offers this kind of DI press,"said Darren George. "It allows printers to expand their business intonon-paper substrates like film, plastic, metallized paper, label stockand other non-porous substrates."

Ryobi will also demonstrate its other top-selling presses, as wellas a new digital workflow it calls the RYOBI Smart Net color printingsystem. Smart Net enables printers to network every piece of equipmentand process in their print shop in real time. It covers everythingfrom central administration to estimating to pre-press, on-press,post-press and shipping.

George described it as a turnkey "open architecture" informationtechnology/MIS system that is CIP4-JDF compliant and can integrate allequipment and tasks in a printing facility.

About Ryobi, xpedx Printing Technologies and xpedx

Ryobi Limited Graphic Systems Division of Hiroshima, Japan, offersmulti-functional offset printing presses and total printing solutionsfrom pre-press to binding. It is a world leader in high-precisionmedium-size and small offset printing presses, DI presses and digitalworkflows.

With pressroom installations in more than 160 nations worldwide,Ryobi presses are respected for their superior print quality,cost-effectiveness, ease of press operation, high reliability andprecision machining.

In the U.S., xpedx Printing Technologies markets and distributes awide variety of presses and printing technology including thefollowing core offerings:

-- RYOBI 750 series, B2-size high-speed multi-color 20x29" and 23x29" sheet size offset presses;

-- RYOBI 680 series, A2-plus size high-speed multi-color offset presses;

-- RYOBI 520 series, A3-plus size high-speed multi-color offset presses;

-- RYOBI 920 series, A1-size 4-/5-color offset presses; and

-- RYOBI 3404 DI series, A3-plus size portrait format 4-color offset presses with direct imaging.

The 750, 680 and 520 series can be equipped with perfectors,coating units, UV curing units and infrared dryers.

xpedx Printing Technologies is a wholly owned division of xpedx.With a team of more than 20 executive, sales and technical staff atits metropolitan Kansas City headquarters, xpedx Printing Technologiesoffers deep technical support, training, a large parts warehouse, ashowroom/demo center and more. It currently has 50 dealers across theU.S. responsible for local sales and service. The company is on theweb at ryobi.xpedx.com.

Loveland, Ohio-based xpedx, an International Paper company, isNorth America's largest marketer and distributor of printing papers,graphics supplies and graphics equipment with more than 250 locationsin the U.S. and Mexico. xpedx is also one of North America's largestproviders of packaging supplies and equipment and facility suppliesand equipment. xpedx is on the web at xpedx.com.

In addition to delivering the world's largest offering of printingpapers from a single source, xpedx provides graphics professionalswith advanced digital prepress equipment, Ryobi printing presses,hardware and graphics software, color management tools, finishing,bindery and packaging systems. xpedx also offers detailed operationsanalysis, counsel and financing to help make a customer's printingoperations more efficient and profitable.