RYOBI AND XPEDX SPOTLIGHT ACCESSIBILITY, POWER OF HIGH-END PRINTING; PRODUCE MARCH 2007 COVER OF GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY MAGAZINE

LOVELAND, Ohio, March 28, 2007—For a compelling example of state-of-the-art printing today, check out the cover of Graphic Arts Monthly’s March 2007 issue.  Until recently, this caliber of print work was not within reach of most U.S. commercial and in-plant printers, but new and affordable advances in print technology have changed that.

The project was produced on a Ryobi printing press and sponsored by xpedx, North America’s largest marketer and distributor of printing papers and graphics supplies and equipment.

The image—of shadowed, dew-dropped leaves that are textured and lifelike—was printed in one pass on a six-up RYOBI 755 UV press with interdeck dryer and a pair each of infrared dryers and UV curing units.  It was produced at Designer Graphics, Tyler, TX, which bought the 23x31-inch sheet size press from xpedx Printing Technologies last year.  xpedx is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Ryobi presses.

The project was executed in consultation with Graphic Arts Monthly’s editorial team, xpedx, premedia experts at Stevenson, Inc., Cincinnati, and the marketing strategy firm of Kucia And Associates, also of Cincinnati.  The paper used for the project is an 80-lb Camelot gloss cover, a No. 2 grade private label sheet from xpedx.

Graphic Arts Monthly, published by Reed Elsevier, circulates to more than 70,000 graphics professionals in the U.S.

“The ability to execute a high-end, value-added print project using readily available production platforms is within reach of printers everywhere,” said Bill Esler, Editor-in-Chief of Graphic Arts Monthly.  “Printers today have a new and critical role in preparing and adapting the customer’s creative design and translating that into very high-impact printed pieces.  They should be sure to tap expert pre-press support and advice from their print services provider.”

GAM senior editor Mark Vruno, in the magazine’s “How’d We Print This” column, wrote that “spot UV dull, reticulating varnish, which Ryobi calls ‘chemical embossing’ can make already vibrant images spring from the page.”
 
Ryobi Graphic Systems, Hiroshima, Japan, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of offset printing presses.  Many commercial and in-plant printers are turning to Ryobi for world-class print quality, ease of use, reduced total operating cost and strong local service.

“Printers who have installed Ryobi’s six-up 750 or 780 series presses—and have run presses from the world’s other top manufacturers—say Ryobi unequivocally offers the best mix of quality and value,” said Don Harvey, vice president and general manager of xpedx Printing Technologies, Lenexa, KS.  “The five-color 750 or eight-color 780 press offers superior print quality, speed and makeready times.”

On the environmental front, Ryobi Graphic Systems said it is spearheading efforts to prevent VOC emissions, reduce ink and paper waste and reduce energy consumption on its presses.

For more information about Ryobi, visit ryobi.xpedx.com, or phone 800-553-4980.

About Ryobi Graphic Systems

Ryobi Graphic Systems Division of Hiroshima, Japan, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of offset printing presses and is a business unit of Ryobi, Ltd., founded in 1943.  Ryobi offers multi-functional offset printing presses, hardware and software that handle all aspects of a print job, from
pre-press to binding.  It is a world leader in high-precision large-, mid-size and small presses, DI presses and CIP4-JDF compliant digital workflows.  With pressroom installations worldwide, Ryobi presses are respected for their superior print quality, cost-effectiveness, ease of press operation, high reliability and precision machining.

About xpedx Printing Technologies

xpedx Printing Technologies, a wholly owned division of xpedx, is the exclusive distributor of Ryobi presses and supplies in the U.S.  It offers
rapid-response, local technical support, press operator training, a large parts warehouse and a showroom/demo center at its headquarters in Lenexa, KS.  It has a team of executive, sales and technical staff and currently has 50 dealers across the U.S. responsible for local sales and service. 

xpedx Printing Technologies has the largest force of local, factory-trained press technicians in the U.S. to service Ryobi printing presses.  The company’s dealers coast-to-coast provide first-tier support, and are backed up by technicians at xpedx Printing Technologies headquarters and Ryobi Graphic Systems engineers in Japan.  The service program offers unequalled same day response time for all Ryobi presses.  xpedx Printing Technologies and Ryobi require continuously updated training for all press service technicians.

About xpedx

xpedx, an International Paper company (NYSE: IP), is North America’s largest marketer and distributor of printing papers and graphics supplies and equipment.  It is also a major U.S. distributor of packaging supplies and equipment and facility supplies and equipment.  xpedx has more than 7,000 employees in 250 locations in North America. Customers include commercial printers, publishers, manufacturers, retailers, facility managers and companies across many industry segments.  xpedx operates one of the largest business-to-business e-commerce sites, xpedx.com, as well as suiteshoponline.com for graphics professionals.

Editor’s Note: xpedx is always spelled all lower case.

CONTACTS: Don Harvey, vice president and general manager, xpedx Printing Technologies, Lenexa, Kansas, 913-631-8700; Jeff Higgins, xpedx Director of Marketing Services and Information, Loveland, Ohio, 513-965-2923; Press/Analysts:  Erik Godchaux, Media Strategy Group, Madison, Wisconsin, 608-256-4540.