Chicago, IL (Graph Expo) – October 15, 2006 (Booth #4218) – Agfa Graphics announced today that attendees at Graph Expo 2006 will be among the first to see public demonstrations of the newest version of the company’s popular workflow. :ApogeeX 3.5 is making its debut in North America at Graph Expo 2006. New features, additional connectivity and automation enhancements and several new options, resulting in increased efficiencies in The Graphic Enterprise, highlight the newest version of this award-winning workflow.

Available for demonstration and review at the Agfa Graphics booth, :ApogeeX 3.5 features more JDF (Job Definition Format) and JMF (Job Messaging Format) functionality than previous versions. With these enhancements, prepress departments gain additional automation functionality and throughput across the entire system.

“With more than 13,000 :Apogee systems installed around the world and more than 4,000 :ApogeeX workflow production systems installed in the last three years, the market has clearly stated that the system delivers excellent results and meets the needs of our customers,” said Agfa’s Deborah Hutcheson, senior marketing manager, Digital Solutions, North America. “:ApogeeX 3.5 is a great asset in enabling them to make smart decisions on how jobs, or even individual parts of jobs, should be laid out and processed, all with the hands-free operation that is necessary in a busy prepress and printing environment, improving efficiency and turnaround time.”

To facilitate the proofing cycle, for example, the new Raster Preview feature extends the system’s functionality with front and back softproofing and the ability to view the trimbox, bleedbox and cropbox of the pages. Another new function called “Split for Proof” has been designed into the system for simplified and accurate proofing of 1-up and 2-up (double-sided) pages or dummy proofs. These new proofing features can eliminate potential errors and further reduce proofing costs.

Other new features in :ApogeeX 3.5 include PrintDrive synchronization, interactive editing of PDF documents, support for new platesetters and digital presses, an “AutoStrip” JDF-based stripping module and more.

:ApogeeX 3.5 also strengthens its hybrid workflow connectivity with digital presses, a function that is being demonstrated at the HP exhibit (booth #646). HP is showing its Indigo digital press and highlighting the latest streamlining possibilities for the entire production workflow. Show attendees can also get a chance to see how :ApogeeX supports the Adobe PDF Print Engine.

About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world’s leading imaging and information technology companies. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analog and digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), the healthcare sector (Agfa HealthCare) and specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials).
Agfa's headquarters are in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries throughout the world. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 3,308 million euro in 2005.

About Agfa Graphics
Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress solutions to the printing industry. These solutions comprise consumables, hardware, software and services for production workflow, project and color management. Computer-to-film, computer-to-plate and digital proofing systems have earned Agfa Graphics a worldwide leadership position in the commercial and package printing and the newspaper publishing markets.

Agfa Graphics is rapidly expanding its offerings in the growing digital inkjet market. Its experience in both imaging and emulsion technology has provided the expertise required for making an assortment of high-quality UV and solvent-based inks. Joint development and manufacturing partnerships with industry leaders expand its technological reach and allow the company to develop comprehensive digital solutions for printing posters, banners, signage, displays, labels and packaging materials.

Product and company information can be found on Agfa’s home page on the World Wide Web at: www.agfa.com.