FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2006

DuPont Color Communication Launches Cromalin® Blue

Wilmington, Delaware - DuPont Color Communication announces its latest product development ­ a new digital proofing system designed to address industry needs for a fully-automated, high-speed, premium quality inkjet proofing solution. The new product, known as DuPont™ Cromalin® blue, is planned for wide availability in the first quarter of 2006.

Driven by the industry-leading DuPont™ Cromanet™ software suite, the DuPont™ Cromalin® blue series of inkjet proofing systems (2-page and 4-page) can produce premium contract-quality proofs using a “tuned” set of DuPont™ proofing specific inks and specialty proofing media. The total Cromalin® blue package has been designed specifically to address the needs of the high-end proofing market, where repeatable quality is paramount and non-negotiable, needs that are coupled with continuous and growing pressure to reduce costs and production time.

William P. King, DuPont Color Communication product portfolio manager - North America, says: “While the needs of the premium proofing market in terms of repeatability and stability are more critical than ever, additional pressures have evolved over the last 2-3 years in terms of productivity and cost requirements. This is why we have developed a new high-quality system that generates faster output and is positioned very competitively compared to the high-end proofers offered by our competitors.”

Designed to be a truly high-end machine, Cromalin® blue utilizes a high speed, high resolution industrial-quality DOD print head which enables the Cromalin® system to print at 1500 dpi optical resolution at a speed of just under 12 minutes for 4-page (B2) format or 7 minutes for 2-page (B3) size. The printer uses onboard temperature and humidity sensors and controls to precisely set and maintain operating temperatures within the printhead assembly during high-speed imaging, to ensure consistent contract quality even under heavy proof manufacturing loads.

The DuPont™ Cromanet™ software, a Windows-based suite of software incorporating RIPping, color management, color profiling and characterization, workflow management and output calibration and control, has also been updated. Cromanet™ provides proof producers at all levels of sophistication and color expertise the ability to precisely and consistently match a variety of standards and custom proof and print targets.

As with the entire family of DuPont proofing solutions, Cromalin® blue consists exclusively of a tightly integrated set of imaging DuPont-designed components (engine, inks, paper and color management) to ensure full compatibility, consistency and image stability in a turn-key proofing solution. In addition, the system benefits from access to DuPont service and support.

According to King, the design philosophy “quality without control is not quality” was vieweed as a key differentiator in the development of the Cromalin® blue series. He explains: “The Cromalin® blue series is the only high-quality proof imaging system equipped with a fully-automated in-line spectral calibration module ­ the proof engine itself robotically measures every printed sheet to ensure that the quality you expect is delivered consistently, even when environmental operating conditions change.”

In the case of just such a change, the Cromalin® blue system automatically re-calibrates itself to maintain the consistent quality of output, while also protecting the customer from unnecessary expense through lost production time and wasted materials. All the data from self-verification, calibration and the on line sensor package is logged and available for documentation of the performance of the proofer for service or quality control purposes.

Complementing the auto-calibration feature, the Cromalin® blue-series is compatible with DuPont’s own quality control technology, iCertification™.

Through iCertification™ DuPont ensures proof output consistency, remotely across multiple production sites, to a very narrow tolerance of Delta E <1. This capability, already used by a wide variety of DuPont customers, helps guarantee quality for the print buyer and is an ideal tool for pre-press and printing companies to monitor production processes and efficiency. iCertification™ is a web-enabled system allowing controlled sharing of proof and color data for either standards-based or custom digital proofing applications.

King concludes: “With the development of the Cromalin® blue series, DuPont now has a complete range of proofing solutions to meet the widest possible variety of digital production requirements. Our systems (Cromalin® AQ, Cromalin® b-series and Cromalin® Largo), are each designed to function both as standalone systems and as components of an integrated multi-tier system. Users are provided optimal proofing results for varying levels of price, performance, and quality. This product suite was developed to meet the multiple needs of the market, from stand-alone standard contract proof to full network solutions producing high-end quality contract proofs across the globe.These modules and tools, integrated under the umbrella of our Cromanet™ software technology, allow customers to choose DuPont for their entire range of proofing need and output solutions.”

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and production, home and construction, and transportation and apparel. For additional information on DuPont Imaging Technologies visit the web sies at http://www.imaging-technologies.dupont.com or http://www.color-communication.dupont.com.

The DuPont Oval, DuPont™, Cromalin® and Cromanet™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

DuPont Color Communication
Chestnut Run Plaza 715-129, 4417 Lancaster Pike
Wilmington, DE 19805
Phone: 302.999.6660
Fax: 302.999.2600
E-Mail: jessica.muller@usa.dupont.com
Website URL: color-communication.dupont.com