CHICAGO-September 6, 2005-Ryobi and exclusive U.S. distributor xpedx will launch new printing presses and workflows at their largest-ever North American exhibit and live demo of Ryobi equipment this week at Print 05 in Chicago. Ryobi will be at Booth 2045 from September 9-15.

The exhibit will underscore Ryobi's emergence as a major force in larger format printing press markets.

In the U.S., xpedx and Ryobi target 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.

New to the U.S. market and on display at Print 05 are the following: an eight-color press with perfecting and UV curing; a new DI press using hybrid UV inks; and a complete MIS/workflow system that can integrate all aspects of a printing business in real-time. Other presses, peripheral equipment and Ryobi products/services also will be demonstrated.

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


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

Ryobi customers in the U.S. report that Ryobi and xpedx have a strong tradition of sales, service and technical support through their network of 50 dealers coast-to-coast. “As xpedx evolves its Ryobi operations from what had been a small press/duplicator dealer organization into a large press organization, Ryobi is becoming an important new force in the U.S. printing marketplace,” Harvey said.

“We can now meet the equipment and service needs of any company that puts ink to substrate-from the largest of printers to small corner print shops,” added Darren George, Midwest regional sales manager for xpedx Printing Technologies. “What they get from us is a very cost effective print solution and strong local service, backed up by one of the world's most successful and proven printing press manufacturers.”

xpedx recently announced they will expand sales, service and technical support of Ryobi presses and will develop a new national demonstration center in metro Kansas City by mid-2006. xpedx also has given its printing equipment sales and service division a new name, xpedx Printing Technologies.

Executives, sales officials and technicians from Ryobi Graphic Systems in Japan, xpedx and its national network of Ryobi dealers will be on hand during Print 05. Harvey will lead the xpedx team during Print 05.


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

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

Ryobi is also unveiling its RYOBI 784EP, a B-2 size 4-color, 6-up offset unit with an automatic convertible perfecting device, and the RYOBI 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 of xpedx. “It allows printers to expand their business into non-paper substrates like film, plastic, metallized paper, label stock and other non-porous substrates.”

The company will also demonstrate its other top-selling presses, as well as a new digital workflow it calls the RYOBI Smart Net color printing system. Simply put, Smart Net enables printers to network every piece of equipment and process in their print shop in real time. It covers everything from central administration to estimating to pre-press, on-press, post-press and shipping.

George described it as a turnkey “open architecture” information technology/MIS system that is CIP4-JDF compliant and can integrate with all equipment in a printing facility.


About Ryobi, xpedx Printing Technologies and xpedx

Ryobi Limited Graphic Systems Division of Hiroshima, Japan, offers multi-functional offset printing presses and total printing solutions from pre-press to binding. It is a world leader in high-precision medium-size and small offset printing presses, DI presses and digital workflows.

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

In the U.S., xpedx Printing Technologies features a wide variety of presses and printing technology including the following core product 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 support staff at its metropolitan Kansas City headquarters, xpedx Printing Technologies offers technical support, training, a large parts warehouse, showroom/demo center and more. It currently has 50 dealers across the U.S. responsible for local sales and service. The company is on the web at ryobi.xpedx.com.

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

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

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CONTACTS: Don Harvey, VP-General Manager, xpedx Printing Technologies, Lenexa, Kansas, 913-631-8700; Jeff Higgins, xpedx Director of Marketing Services and Information, 513-965-2923; Press/Analysts: Erik Godchaux, Media Strategy Group, Madison, Wisconsin, 608-256-4540