Xanté Unveils OpenRIP F= lexo 7.0,

Bringing Major Innovations to Flexo Workflow Software

· Freeform Ganging Speeds Production

· Latest Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE)=

· Integrated PANTONE^®Color Libraries=

· Halftone Post-Processing Eliminates “Dirty Dots”

· Color Management & Viewing Advancements

· Enhanced Tools For Accurate Dot Gain Adjustment= s

· New Bearer Bar Options

May 20, 2008 –– Mobile, AL= , USA & Duiven, The Netherlands –– Xanté, a leader in automated prepress solutions designed for flexo and label printers, raises the bar for affordable flexography workflow software with the debut of OpenRIP^®Flexo 7.0 Professional. OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 incorporates the latest version of the Adobe^{®
PDF Print Engine (APPE), which RIPs PDF files in their native format; there=
by
ensuring file integrity throughout the workflow. Xanté designers have
advanced OpenRIP technology in several key areas, delivering substantial
screening, color, linearization, and dot gain developments. OpenRIP Flexo 7=
.0
also fully integrates the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM^® and PANTO=
NE
Goe™ SystemColor Libraries.}

&nb= sp;

“M= ore sophisticated imaging requirements are forcing flexographers to look for state-of-the-art workflow systems. Xanté is ready to accommodate this need with leading edge workflow software that fulfills our criteria for pow= er, ease of use and economy,” says CEO Robert Ross. “We’re we= ll known for delivering advanced solutions that are cost-effective but = do not compromise quality. We’re especially proud that we can offer such= a powerful application with this major release of OpenRIP Flexo 7.”

&nb= sp;

Says Ram= an Nagpal, director of product marketing and engineering, Printing Systems Gro= up of Adobe,

“T= he success of our 15 year relationship with Xanté makes the company a perfect partner for our venture into flexography, a market Xanté kno= ws well. It’s important for Adobe to continuously reach further to fulfi= ll the complex needs of segments like package and label printing, and we can deliver to these audiences faster with proven partner solutions such as Xanté OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 software. The combination of Xanté and Adobe here is a powerful one.”

&nb= sp;

New Frontiers in Flexo C= olor

With Ope= nRIP Flexo 7.0, flexographers can now enjoy a full range of color management opt= ions including color-accurate viewing and proofing, on monitor or hardcopy, and support for RGB, Lab, and CMYK color spaces as well as improved spot, proce= ss, and RGB color representation and output. The increased precision of color representation on-screen and on hardcopy proofs speeds trapping assessments= and color modifications, which are priorities for flexographers.

&nb= sp;

“PANTONE Colors are universally recognized as= the color standard for the packaging segment. The addition of the PANTONE MATCH= ING SYSTEM and PANTONE Goe Color Libraries to the OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 workflow gi= ves flexographers an easy-to-use and effective way to accurately proof and reproduce spot colors,” says Andrew Hatkoff, vice president, Adva= nced Color Technologies at Pantone, Inc.

&nb= sp;

Unique Halftone Post-Processing Develo= pment Eliminates “Dirty Dots”

Xant&eac= ute; VP of Software Development, Tom Eager, says, “The flexo customers who ha= ve previewed OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 are, quite frankly, blown away by several developments we’ve made.” Eager says customers are especially impressed with the new halftone post-processing feature that removes dots t= oo small to reproduce on press. “Our R&D team has also made signific= ant enhancements to color, dot gain, marks and bearer bars in this version.R= 21;

&nb= sp;

“O= penRIP Flexo 7.0 is proof, once again, that Xanté genuinely listens to cust= omers, and then turns wish lists and suggestions into real solutions. The halftone post-processing feature resulted from a customer request at Labelexpo Bruss= els, just a few months ago,” says Stefano d'Andrea, product manager for distributor TECNOGRAPHICA, and vice-pres= ident of ATIF, the Italian Flexographic Technical Association.

&nb= sp;

FTA Educ= ation Director, Joe Tuccitto, says, “Xanté is known for excellent reliability and customer service. The company’s focus on adding functionality that truly matters – like standardized color management= and cleaner screening, is what makes loyal customers.” =

&nb= sp;

About New = OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 Professional

OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 Professional is a comprehensive, turnkey PDF workflow featuring support for both the Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE) and Adobe^® PostScript^® 3™. OpenRIP Flexo drives a wide variety of output devices including platesetters, imagesetters, laser printers, digital color presses, copiers, inkjet printers and plotters, all from a single, state-of-the-art RIP. This centralized control maintains file consistency from preview, to proof, to plate.

OpenRIP Flexo improves productivity and reduces hum= an error by automating tedious and error-prone prepress tasks. It offers advan= ced color management and automates complex prepress tasks such as file setup, trapping, screening, imposition and application of linearization and dot ga= in compensation; giving a print shop everything required for prepress operatio= n in one, complete, software package.

The modular design of OpenRIP Flexo allows users to easily add options to meet growing production needs. [1]

Availability

OpenRIP Flexo version 7.0 Professional will be available= to customers worldwide in May 2008. An OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 upgrade will be made available to current customers.

NEW FEATURE DETAILS IN ADDENDUM, ATTACHED.

About Xanté

Xanté provides state-of-the-art PDF workflow= and imaging solutions for high quality graphic and prepress applications by leveraging a combination of its own hallmark technologies and those acquire= d from RIPit and Exxtra. The product line includes process-free metal and polyester computer-to-plate imaging devices including the popular Impressia and PlateMaker lines; high resolution digital color presses including Ilumina; large format VM series violet metal platesetters and the SpeedSetter series= of polyester imaging systems; and award-winning OpenRIP Flexo software RIP, an Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE) workflow with support for Adobe PostScript 3. OpenRIP Flexo allows every device in the print shop -- including platesette= rs, imagesetters, laser printers, digital copiers, inkjet printers and plotters= -- to be controlled from a single RIP for true workflow consistency.

Xanté Corporation headquarters is located in Mobile, Alabama, USA, with offices in Sacramento, CA, USA, Duiven, Netherlands, and Zhengzhou, China= . Xanté products are distributed through a worldwide network of resell= er and distribution partners. For more information, please visit xante.com.

Media Contacts:

Helene Smith        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;        Melissa Van Gelderen

HSPR    &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;         Xanté Europe     =

+1 407.786.0040 tel = ;            &n= bsp;     +31 (0)26-319.32.10 tel

+1 321.388.6511 cell&nbs= p;            &= nbsp;    +31 (0)26-319.32.11 fax

smith@helenesmith.com&nb= sp;           mvan= gelderen@xante.com

&nb= sp;

&nb= sp;

Addendum=

New Version Deta= ils

The new version of OpenRIP Flexo 7.0 Professional provides enhanced standard and optional features.

Color Improvemen= ts for Previewing and Proofing (Standard)

Color ma= nagement improvements have been made throughout the OpenRIP workflow including enhancements to Monitor Preview, RasterView and KoolKolor proofing. The PAN= TONE MATCHING SYSTEM Color Library has been integrated into the spot color datab= ase and custom spot colors can now be defined in multiple color spaces. Xanté is one of the first companies to integrate the new PANTONE Goe System of 2,058 solid colors into its software, OpenRIP Flexo PDF workflow.=

Color improvements include:

·         Enhanced spot ink color definition in CMYK, RGB and Lab.

·         Monitor preview is now color-managed and generates previews of RGB, CMYK and Spot Colors with greater accuracy.

·         A= dvanced ink mixing formula shows on-screen differences between black and rich black, and subtle color differences that result from spot colors that overprint halftone dots.

·         PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM solid coated, solid uncoated and solid matte, and PANTONE G= oe coated Color Library support built into spot color database.

Linearization / = Dot Gain Feature Updates (Standard)

Ima= ging clean halftone dots, which are the correct size, is critical for producing accurate color on press. Halftone dots that are too large or too small can shift color balance. OpenRIP Flexo calibration and linearization wizards provide tools for calibrating platesetters, imagesetters, printing presses = and other equipment, accordingly.

Lineariz= ation and Dot Gain enhancements include:

·         Ability to edit Linearization and Dot Gain records within the OpenRIP user interfac= e.

·         Ability to specify minimum and maximum printable screen values, while allowing scre= en values outside that range to be rendered as clear or solid.

·         Addition of a Flexo Curve that provides more control points between 0%-10% and 90%-1= 00%.

Halftone Post-Processing – (Standard)

The= new halftone post-processing feature removes dots that are too small to reprodu= ce on press. Controls for spot removal allow a spot size to be defined by a horizontal and vertical limit, or by an overall area that is less than a predefined size.

StripRITE Imposi= tion - (Optional)

Str= ipRITE Imposition allows placement of individual pages onto a press sheet in a controlled, repeatable manner. The design of the press sheet and placement = of individual elements is done in advance, through the creation of custom imposition layouts. Layouts may be edited and used repeatedly with different jobs that require a similar page layout.

Impositi= on Layout Editor has been extended to allow:

·         Pages of different sizes.

·         Pages with different orientations.

·         Creation of “Dutch cut” layouts.

Freeform Ganging (Optional)

Freeform= Ganging is an optional standalone feature, which can be used with StripRITE Imposit= ion. Freeform Ganging or StripRITE Imposition can be utilized independently or together when preparing a job for output.

Freeform= Ganging allows placement of pages or images of varying size and orientation onto on= e or more sheets, on the fly. This feature minimizes media use and maximizes ima= ging speeds. It is not typically used in situations for which precise placement = is essential.

Fre= eform Ganging enables:

·         G= anging of jobs that are different sizes on a press sheet, without any prior defini= tion of the configuration.

·         Ganging of separations across a single page or multiple pages.

·         Ganging of contone jobs across a single page or multiple pages for proofing.

The implementation of Freeform Ganging as a separate feature provides the follo= wing advantages:

·         Allows imposed jobs to be ganged together, and vice versa.

·         Allows ganging features to be applied independently from imposition.

&co= py; 2008 Xanté Corporation. All rights reserved. Xanté, PlateMaker, Impressia, Ilumina, OpenRIP, SpeedSetter, KoolKolor, KoolToning, StripRITE, PerfectBLEND, AdvancedScan, RasterView, TrapZone, ImagerQ Concerto, VM and Harmony Violet Metal Plate are trademarks or registered trademarks of Xanté Corporation. Adobe, PostScript 3, APPE and Accurate Screens are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Incorporated, which may be register= ed in certain jurisdictions. PANTONE^Ò and other Pantone, Inc. trade= marks are the property of Pantone, Inc. All other trademarks or registered tradem= arks are the property of their respective owners.