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Epson America and EFI Collaborate to Redefine the Proofing Industry With New Epson Stylus Pro 900 Series Proofing Editions

Wednesday 06. May 2009 - Epson America, Inc. and EFI(TM) (NASDAQ:EFII) have joined forces to create what both companies expect will be the most advanced and complete proofing solution on the market to date.

The new Epson Stylus(R) Pro 900 Series Proofing Editions combine the unique proofing advantages that come with the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 or 9900 wide format ink jet printers, along with EFI’s most robust proofing RIP workflow to date, EFI Colorproof(TM) XF v4.0 for Epson. The end result is a unique and complete solution designed to redefine what’s possible for virtually all contract-proofing applications.

“Epson is committed to being the world’s leading manufacturer and provider of proofing solutions,” said Mark Radogna, group product manager, Epson America, Inc. “This commitment means striving to deliver the best hardware, ink, software, and media on the market, finding new ways to keep advancing those technologies, and taking the kind of confident steps as a company that will keep the industry moving forward. Working with EFI on this ground-breaking proofing solution is a great example of that philosophy in action and we’re very confident this collaborative effort will pay off for our customers in many new and exciting ways.”

Epson worked closely with EFI to develop the workflow software (RIP) for the Epson Proofing Edition Series. EFI Colorproof XF v4.0 RIP for Epson takes advantage of the latest Adobe(R) PostScript(R) 3 and Adobe Print Engine 2.0 technologies and processes files to ensure consistent and accurate proofs for all types of color print work – commercial or flexographic. And with complete support of Epson’s optional SpectroProofer(TM), virtually any color management process is completely automated, reducing complex labor costs significantly.

“This collaboration between us and Epson combines the best of both companies to provide a powerful proofing workflow solution for both commercial and flexographic proofing applications,” said Marc Olin, senior vice president and general manager, EFI Advanced Professional Print Software. “Never before has such an innovative proofing solution been brought to market at such a great price point.”

The Epson Proofing Edition Series comes with virtually everything needed to begin making contract-quality proofs right out of the box. The solution includes an Epson Stylus Pro 7900 (24-inch) or 9900 (44-inch) wide format ink jet printer, a complete set of Epson UltraChrome(R) HDR ink cartridges, and a full 24-inch roll of Epson Standard Proofing Paper 240. Furthermore, it comes with EFI Colorproof XF 4.0 for Epson (software-based RIP) with pre-installed profiles for Epson’s entire line of Professional Proofing Papers.

Availability, Service and Support

The Epson Proofing Edition Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900 are now available through authorized resellers for $7,995 and $9,995 (MSRP) respectively. They are supported by a standard Epson Preferred(SM) Limited Warranty, a one-year program that includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and usually next-business-day on-site service in the unlikely event of any hardware failure. Optional Epson Preferred Plus Service Plans are also available, offering one or two additional years of protection. The optional SpectroProofer is also available through authorized resellers for $1,495 and $2,495 (MSRP) respectively.