FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CIP4 ANNOUNCES JDF PROGRAMS AT GRAPH EXPO

Washington, DC (September 4, 2003) ­ The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press, and Postpress (CIP4)Organization today announced several programs to be held at Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2003. It seems that JDF (Job Definition Format) will be everywhere at Graph Expo, said CIP4 Executive Director Jim Harvey, and thatıs a good thing. The demand for information about JDF from printers, publishers, and prepress services is on the upswing. There are now JDF systems in the market place, users have begun to implement JDF and these programs will help meet the growing demand for information about JDF.

Harvey will moderate a panel session entitled Computer Integrated Manufacturing: The Key to Competitive Survival at 10:20 am during the Executive Outlook program in Room S504 of McCormick Place on Saturday, 27, September 2003. This panel of industry leaders will discuss the meaning of CIM, and the role CIP4 and JDF play in CIM programs.

On Monday, 29 September 2003 from 8:30 to 9:30 am CST in Room N230 of McCormick Place, CIP4 will host its first face-to-face CIP4 members marketing meeting. Later that day, also in Room N230, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, CIP4 will host its annual meeting. Given the impressive growth of CIP4 membership, 100 or more people are expected at each event.

On 30 September 2003, in Room N228, the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) and CIP4 will partner to present a full day of JDF sessions. These sessions are open to all Graph Expo attendees, even those who are only registered for the tradeshow. Sessions will include:

An Introduction to JDF and CIP4ıs Vision

This session will provide printing and prepress professionals with the background, introduction to JDF concepts, and the JDF vision theyıll need to understand this important change in our industry.

JDF: The first glimpse

GATF has begun to test JDF concepts on the shop floor; this session will feature GATF staff and other speakers who will discuss their early experiences with JDF-enabled processes and the lessons that theyıve learned.

JDF: From the Trenches

James Workman, Director of Training Programs at GATF, and a panel of JDF users will explore what is being done with JDF, why these users implemented JDF, and what advice they have for others who wish to purse process automation and modernization of their printing and prepress operations.

New JDF Products in just Five Minutes

A panel of JDF-enabled product vendors will be given five minutes each for a rapid-fire introduction to their JDF-enabled products, and afterwards the panel will answer your questions from the audience.

Visit http://www.cip4.org/activities/JDF_Sessions_GraphExpo_2003.pdf for further details on GATF/CIP4 JDF Day sessions at Graph Expo.

About the Job Definition Format

JDF is an upcoming industry standard designed to simplify information exchange between different applications and systems in and around the Graphic Arts industry. JDF builds on and extends beyond pre-existing partial solutions, such as CIP3's Print Production Format (PPF) and Adobe Systems' Portable Job Ticket Format (PJTF). It also enables the integration of commercial and planning applications into the technical workflow. JDF joins the growing number of standards based on XML, ensuring maximum possible portability between different platforms and ready interaction with Internet-based systems.

More information is available at http://www.cip4.org.

About CIP4

CIP4 brings together vendors, consultants and end-users in the print communications, Graphic Arts industry and associated sectors, covering a variety of equipment, software, peripherals, and processes. Members participate in focused working groups to define future versions of JDF, to study user requirements, and to design the JDF SDK. Information on CIP4, including membership details, is available from the organization's web site: www.cip4.org. Or contact Stefan Daun, Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics, telephone: +49 6151 155 575, email: secretariat@cip4.org.

CIP4
Bleicherweg 58
8002 Zurich, Switzerland
Phone: +49 6151 155 575
Fax:
E-Mail: secretariat@cip4.org
Website URL: www.cip4.org.