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IBM Workflow, AFP(TM) Architecture Evaluated in Wide-Ranging InfoTrends Analysis

Market Wire, April, 2006

IBM announced today that InfoTrends has released an extensive analysis of IBM's Infoprint Workflow Portfolio and the AFP Color Consortium. InfoTrends is a leading market research and consulting firm focusing on digital imaging technologies and markets. Their report concluded that "IBM is articulating its focus and is showing thought leadership, particularly around the transactional print market."

InfoTrends evaluated IBM's new Infoprint ProcessDirector software product and also outlined the progress of the AFP Color Consortium. The 27-member print industry consortium, formed by IBM in 2004, has begun publishing a new color standard for the high speed printing of bills, statements and other customer communications based on IBM's Advanced Function Presentation(TM) (AFP) architecture.

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Infoprint ProcessDirector is part of the IBM Infoprint Workflow Portfolio, which also includes the Infoprint Workflow services offering and IBM Infoprint Manager software. InfoTrends concluded that, "the introduction of ProcessDirector responds to the need for an affordable end-to-end solution that manages the process from application to composition and from printing to insertion and mailing."

InfoTrends said, "the AFP Color Consortium has moved remarkably quickly since invitations were first sent out in the summer of 2004." The report determined that "AFP is a standard in monochrome transaction print. IBM wants to make it a standard in color transaction print but realized that AFP needed color management to do so."

"IBM continues to create products and services designed to help transaction and commercial printers innovate in their industry, while controlling costs and increasing efficiency," said Karen Fukuma, vice president, production solutions, IBM Printing Systems Division. "The InfoTrends report provides valuable insight into our products and strategy for addressing client requirements, including output management, high speed transaction color printing and the AFP architecture."

The InfoTrends report is authored by Andy Gordon, Jim Hamilton, and Alex Sumarta and was published on March 1, 2006.

IBM Infoprint Workflow Portfolio Can Help Address Wide Range of Challenges

The IBM Infoprint Workflow Portfolio can help clients address business challenges ranging from basic printer management to enterprise-wide output transformation.

IBM Infoprint Manager software is for managing transaction, distributed, and POD (print on demand) printing. It enables more efficient enterprise print management for lower overall costs, better utilization of existing printer assets and full accounting of printer resources. Infoprint Manager can scale from small to very large, multisite transaction output operations.

Infoprint ProcessDirector software is a customer configurable output process management system based on the Linux platform. It enables job-level control of print processes to simplify operations, lower costs and support the re-engineering of transaction output processes. ProcessDirector enables clients to start small and grow over time.

The Infoprint Workflow solution is an end-to-end, customized consulting engagement, and workflow management and control solution. IBM works side-by-side with clients to automate and transform their enterprise document production and distribution to help increase efficiency, improve integrity, comply with government regulations and reduce costs.

AFP Color Consortium Helping Speed Adoption of Color Transaction Printing

The AFP Color Consortium currently includes members from 27 companies:

Hardware vendors IBM, Kodak, Lexmark, Océ, Xeikon, and Xerox

Software vendors CDP Communications, Cincom, Compart Systemhaus, COPI, Crawford Technologies, DocuCorp International, Document Sciences Corporation, Elixir Technologies, Emtex, Exstream Software, GMC Software Technology, Group 1, Intermate, Inventive Designers, ISIS Papyrus, Metavante, MPI, PrintSoft, Solimar Systems, StreamServe and Xenos Group.

In January, the consortium began releasing key color components of the AFP architecture. It also formed a new on-line community -- www.afpcolor.org . The web site provides information and documentation on the open color elements of the AFP architecture.

About InfoTrends

InfoTrends is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. They provide research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends is available on the Web at www.infotrends.com

About IBM Printing Systems Division

With more than 40 years of experience in helping customers with print solutions, IBM Printing Systems specializes in output solutions for the on demand era. A leader in production print solutions, print-on-demand technologies, distributed print technologies, one-to-one marketing initiatives and print management software; IBM Printing Systems' offerings include printers, software, consultation, systems integration, supplies, service and support. For more information visit www.ibm.com/printers .

IBM Workflow, AFP(TM) Architecture Evaluated in Wide-Ranging InfoTrends Analysis

Market Wire, April, 2006

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