FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2005

Gerber Launches and Ships Next Generation Thermal Transfer Printer

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. - Gerber Scientific Products announces the launch and first shipments of its next generation thermal transfer printer—the EDGE FX™.

EDGE FX is a shop-friendly printing solution that is exceptionally easy to use. Its small footprint occupies minimal shop space, and when combined with OMEGA 2.1™ software and a Gerber plotter, this total print-to-cut solution requires less than 6’ of table space. The efficient, environmentally-friendly thermal printing process produces durable, instantly dry prints with no waste, odor, or harmful emissions and needs no ventilation.

“We thoroughly transformed and optimized the EDGE® into an advanced digital printing solution. The new EDGE FX enables sign makers, screen printers, and graphics professionals to streamline their workflow and increase productivity,” said Tony Veatch, group product manager, Gerber Scientific Products.

Veatch went on to say, “We incorporated many customer-requested features and improvements in EDGE FX. A new advanced foil system allows operators to simply insert and remove the foil assembly via a side, slide-in door, eliminating any cover lifting. The foil system consists of a re-useable foil caddy and removable foil insert. The 15m, 45m, and 91m foil inserts let shops order the foil amounts that best match their needs, which reduces waste and improves the cost of output. The EDGE FX foil line includes GerberColor™ Spot, Process, Transparent, Medal, L.T. Heat Transfer, Special Effects, and the Finishing Series.”

“The foil system also includes RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. A foil-integrated RFID tag works with the printer’s RFID reader/writer to read the foil’s color, compare actual roll length to the job’s requirements, and update the tag with the remaining foil length. This feature accelerates production and helps prevent costly errors, noted Veatch.”

“The EDGE FX is ideal for vinyl shops purchasing their first digital printer or as a strong complement to a shop’s existing wide format inkjet printer. With EDGE FX’s endless possibilities, shops can offer customers a wide range of applications, including window, floor, and vehicle graphics to promotional novelties, POS displays, and decals. And with EDGE READY™ Materials, EDGE FX consistently produces excellent image quality on over 30 substrates. The growing list includes cast, calendered, magnetic, reflective, metallic, label stocks, and much more. EDGE FX helps create the opportunities for sign makers and specialty graphics professionals to turn their business into a high profit center, said Veatch.”

EDGE FX is part of Gerber’s Matched Technology SystemTM. Inclusion into this system assures users that the printer has been optimized for use with Gerber’s software, plotters, and materials and has undergone accuracy, reliability, bonding, and durability performance tests. For more information or a demonstration on EDGE FX, call Gerber at 800.222.7446, visit our website at www.gspinc.com, or contact your local distributor.

Gerber Scientific Products is a leader in the development and manufacture of computerized sign making and specialty graphics systems, software, materials, and accessories. The company’s start-to-finish digital design, printing and production products integrate via its unique Match Technology SystemTM to provide customers with comprehensive engineered solutions for every color printing and dimensional signage need. Based in South Windsor, Conn., Gerber Scientific Products operates as a business unit of Gerber Scientific, Inc.

Gerber Scientific is a leading international supplier of sophisticated automated manufacturing systems for sign making and specialty graphics, apparel and flexible materials, and ophthalmic lens processing. Headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut, the company operates through four businesses: Gerber Scientific Products and Spandex Ltd., Gerber Technology, and Gerber Coburn.

Gerber Scientific Products
83 Gerber Road
South Windsor, CT 06074
Phone: 860-643-1515 or 800-433-4186
Fax: 860-648-8360
Website URL: www.gspinc.com