Enfocus Announces Expansion of Technology Partner Program at IPEX 2006

Partnership with PerfectProof Brings Both a Certified PDF^® and Certified Proofing Solution to Market

Birmingham, UK (IPEX – Hall 6, Stand A20) – April 4-11, 2006 – Enfocus announces it has broadened the scope of its Technology Partner Program, originally established to allow other developers to integrate Enfocus’ PDF preflighting and editing technology into their own products. The program has now been adapted to include the company’s automation technologies, and has also been made more transparent so that developers can become an Enfocus Technology Partner more easily. The program reinforces the company’s leadership in PDF quality management and automation-enabling technologies.

Respected by the World Graphic Arts Community

Over the years, Enfocus’ technology has gained the respect of the global graphic arts community, with over 70,000 customers and one of the most successful OEM partner programs in the industry. Over 10 high profile enterprise and graphic arts workflow developers have integrated the company’s PitStop Library into their own production automation solutions.

Delivering on the Commitment to Open Systems

Priding itself on constantly opening up its technology to other developers in order to bring a wider range of possibilities to the end user, part of Enfocus’ new program is to make a full range of software development kits (SDK’s) available:

1. The PitStop Library SDK is designed to integrate Enfocus’ award-winning PDF preflighting, editing and Certified PDF^® technology
2. The StatusCheck SDK allows checking for Certified PDF^® status within a third party solution
3. Through the PitStop Server SDK, developers can seamlessly communicate with PitStop Server from within their own application. As such they also have access to PitStop Server’s PDF automated preflighting and editing capabilities
4. The PitStop Automate SDK enables developers to plug-in their own solution within Enfocus’ new automation platform, PitStop Automate

Furthermore, the company has introduced three levels in the program: Bronze, Silver and Gold, each giving access to a specific set of software development kits and an adapted level of support. More information can be found on the Enfocus partner website http://partners.enfocus.com/technology.

Automation beyond PDF preflight and editing

At IPEX, as part of the new Technology Partner Program, Enfocus is launching an SDK for PitStop Automate, a new, task-based production automation tool that allows customers both on the design side and at the production end to increase productivity and output consistency by introducing automation at an affordable price. An intuitive graphical user interface makes it simple to design complete automation workflows. Through this SDK and new partnerships, the company aims to create an automation platform within which color proofing, imposition, file transfer, image manipulation and many other applications can be integrated.

New program, new partners

In its recent collaboration with Belgian software company PerfectProof, Enfocus has partnered with a key player in proofing solutions to bring the first stage of production automation certification to market. Both companies will be available on Enfocus’ Stand A20 in Hall 6 at IPEX to talk about their partnership.

PerfectProof currently incorporates Enfocus’ StatusCheck SDK within its proofing technology, to allow users to check whether their proof is generated from a Certified PDF^® file. In addition, as a second element of the process, PerfectProof links the file to the proof by printing a unique identifier on the proof and writing that same unique ID back to the Enfocus Certified PDF^® edit log. To achieve this, PerfectProof uses the PitStop Library SDK.

With the integration of PerfectProof’s FOGRA certified ‘ProofMaster’ color proofing solution and Enfocus Certified PDF^® technology, PDF files can have both content and color integrity. The PerfectProof technology allows designers to easily simulate and check what the end color results will look like, taking into account paper stock, inks and the final printing device to be used, on a standard inkjet printer. This gives them added confidence that the colors on the file create the end results expected, and they can sign the file off before it is sent to print, bringing many cost savings to both the customer and the printer.

PerfectProof is also the first partner for Enfocus’ new PitStop Automate SDK. The companies are working to seamlessly integrate ProofMaster into Enfocus’ automation platform, to configure the ProofMaster solution from within PitStop Automate. As such, a job will be automatically proofed, and then continue into the next section of the workflow. If it is rejected, it is sent back to an easily recognizable folder to allow the end user to take a decision on the next step. The aim is to ensure that the proofing stage of a job happens as early as possible in the workflow, and that the Certified PDF^® and Certified Proof are inseparably linked, removing any possible doubt as to the origins of the files and their connection.

“We were very keen to partner with Enfocus, as they are the market leader in PDF preflighting and editing and the inventor of Certified PDF^®,” comments Jan Schoovaerts, Marketing Director, PerfectProof. “With our integrated solution of Certified PDF^® and Certified Proofing, we are bringing a unique solution to the market by offering certification throughout the entire production process. I am very much looking forward to working with Enfocus and furthering our partnership.”

Tom Peire, Enfocus’ Director of Corporate Marketing, adds, “The result of this collaboration is truly innovative. By integrating PerfectProof’s respected proofing solution with Enfocus’ PDF quality management and automation technologies, we believe we can offer end users a far more cost-effective means of ensuring complete integrity of their job, before going to print.

“We truly value partnerships with companies like PerfectProof, as they bring together different fields of expertise which enables us to concentrate on our core workflow technology. We look to expand our technology partnerships to further add to the solutions we can bring to our customers.”

As partners, the two companies will be promoting each other’s individual solutions, and the benefits of combining them.

About Enfocus

Enfocus is a leading brand in PDF and production automation technology. From start to finish, Enfocus is essential to designers, printers and publishers who want to work in a truly reliable, automated production environment.

Universally acclaimed technologies, products and service innovations include Certified PDF®, Instant PDF, Instant Barcode, PitStop Professional, PitStop Server, PitStop Automate, StatusCheck and www.CertifiedPDF.net. Enfocus goes beyond preflight, delivering unmatched PDF creation, auto-correction, advanced editing and production automation to guarantee accurate exchange and precise PDF output. Enfocus picks up where other products leave off with features and capabilities that bridge every critical gap in professional graphic arts production environments.

Through a comprehensive technology partner program, Enfocus technologies are available to 3rd party developers. Major suppliers such as Agfa, Artwork Systems, Kodak, EFI, Fujifilm, Global Graphics, Heidelberg, Xerox, Screen, Quad/Graphics, Vio and Xitron have integrated Enfocus technologies into their own PDF workflow system offerings.

Go to www.enfocus.com to discover more about Enfocus and the comprehensive solutions graphic arts professionals throughout the world rely on.

Enfocus is an Artwork Systems Brand.

About PerfectProof

PerfectProof offers a complete range of products for digital proofing, high quality photo printing and e-commerce solutions. The ProofMaster RIP software for Mac & PC and a wide range of media are supported by all the leading digital printers including Epson, Canon, HP, Agfa Sherpa, Iris and Digital Cromalin. Printer’s Website, the e-commerce platform and SimplePrep, the PDF generating software for Microsoft documents allow printers to put their business online in just a matter of days. PerfectProof is Epson, X-Rite and Enfocus partner and its products are sold through a worldwide network of independent resellers. Visit www.perfectproof.com for info.

About ProofMaster

The award-winning ProofMaster software RIP forms one of the most complete packages available in the industry today, offering both ConTone/1-bit proofing, photo and wide format printing, Multiplatform usage on Mac & PC for a wide variety of file formats (PDF, PostScript and native file formats), a host of production tools, soft-proofing and workflow automation are just some of its main features. The software allows the in-house production of Fogra-certified proofs, great looking photographic prints and even silk screen films. Visit www.proofmaster.net for info.

Certified PDF is a registered trademark of Enfocus, patent pending. Enfocus PitStop Professional, Enfocus PitStop Automate, Enfocus PitStop Server, Enfocus Instant PDF, Enfocus Instant Barcode, Enfocus StatusCheck and CertifiedPDF.net are product names of Enfocus. All products and services are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, and are hereby acknowledged.