FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MUTOH AMERICA ANNOUNCES ECO-SOLVENT PLUS INK FOR FALCON II OUTDOOR & FALCON OUTDOOR

No Coated Media. No Lamination. No Ventilation. No Problem

Contact: Kerrie Mellott Tel: (602) 414-4613 marketing@mutoh.com


TEMPE, Ariz., July 9, 2003 Mutoh America Inc., a worldwide leader and manufacturer of large format commercial inkjet printers and sign cutting plotters, announces a new ink set, aptly named "Eco-Solvent Plus", for its Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor inkjet printers.

Eco-Solvent Plus inks by Mutoh create a new paradigm in affordable, safe, outdoor durable inkjet printing for most service bureaus and sign shops. Eco-Solvent Plus inks print directly onto uncoated materials, such as PVC and scrim banner media. This allows sign shops to expand their product offerings to include competitive outdoor solutions. Mutoh's Eco-Solvent Plus is the first ink ever offered to the market that does not contain dangerous solvents or spread VOC's (volatile organic compounds) in the working environment. Eco-Solvent Plus inks are truly environmentally friendly. The Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor printers equipped with Eco-Solvent Plus ink can operate safely in any office environment, and there is no need for special ventilation or air purification equipment. With the release of the Eco-Solvent Plus ink, Mutoh proves that there is a practical and affordable alternative to aggressive solvent inks that makes printing onto uncoated materials possible.

Mutoh's new Eco-Solvent Plus ink is UV, water and scratch resistant for outdoor applications (up to three years) without lamination. For fleet, floor graphics or other applications where prints are exposed to intensive mechanical stress or abrasion, lamination is recommended. The Eco-Solvent Plus ink offers the same ease-of-use as standard water-based inks and were specifically developed for the Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor piezo print heads, extending printhead life and lowering the cost of ownership. Mutoh's factory warranty for Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor print heads using Eco-Solvent Plus ink is 12 months.

Apart from the ability to print directly onto uncoated media, there is a big difference in the chemical behavior between the Mutoh Eco-solvent inks and the new Eco-Solvent Plus inks (see figure).

Mutoh's current Eco-solvent inks are offered in combination with a complete range of specifically coated media, such as pressure sensitive vinyl, photo-based paper and PVC scrim banner.

The Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor printers incorporate a pre-heater to prepare the media and make it receptive to the Eco-Solvent Plus ink. The new solvents engineered into the ink, optimally wet the media and partially soften it, allowing the ink to penetrate into the media. Thus the ink pigments are being anchored onto/into the media. The Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor also incorporate a post-heating system that helps the binder in the Eco Solvent Plus ink fixate the ink onto the media.

Eco Solvent Plus ink will be offered in 220 ml cartridges, either in six-color CMYKLcLm for high-resolution, photo-quality applications or in Hi-Productivity, CMYKx2, for speed-intensive applications, like posters and banners.

Eco-Solvent Plus inks will be commercially available in September 2003. The list price is expected to be the same as Mutoh's current Eco-solvent inks

Extensive testing by Mutoh shows a wide compatibility of the Eco-Solvent Plus inks with the major brands of uncoated PVC and banner materials. A list of compatible media will be available upon request and on Mutoh's web site (www.mutoh.com) when shipments of the Eco Solvent Plus ink begin. Customers presently owning a Falcon Outdoor printer with Eco-solvent ink will be able to switch from Eco-solvent inks to the new Eco-Solvent Plus inks without any machine modification. This will be made possible via a conversion kit, consisting of cleaning cartridges and a starter set of Eco-Solvent Plus ink. The kit includes instructions on how to clean your Falcon Outdoor printer before installing the new Eco Solvent Plus ink. Conversion kits will be available in September 2003. Contact your nearest Mutoh authorized Reseller for more information.

About the Mutoh Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor Printers

Mutoh Falcon Outdoor printers have been on the market since February 2002, when Mutoh introduced its Falcon Outdoor 46" and 62" Eco-solvent printers. In April 2003, Mutoh introduced the Falcon II Outdoor 64" and 87" printers. The Falcon Outdoor is a retail class printer, offering a low cost-of-entry into outdoor, 6-color printing, with print resolutions up to 1440 x 1440 dpi. Falcon II Outdoor printers appeal to the high volume commercial user and offer top print speeds of more than 375 square feet per hour (35 m² per hour).

Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor applications include indoor and outdoor poster printing, point-of-purchase displays, banners, signage, seasonal and long-term corporate graphics, long-term backlit signage, exhibition graphics, real estate, building and construction signage, vehicle graphics, durable indoor graphics and POS displays.

Mutoh America Inc. distributes the Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor printers through its network of authorized Resellers throughout North and South America. The entry-level Falcon Outdoor 46" printer is the lowest price outdoor printer in it's class, at $14,995. A Falcon Outdoor 62" model is available for $19,995. The Falcon Outdoor includes a starter ink set, PS-3 level software, motorized take-up system, and 1-year on-site warranty service. The Falcon II Outdoor 64" model is available from $29,995. The Falcon II Outdoor includes a starter ink set, PS-3 level software, motorized take-up system, installation and 1-year on-site warranty service. For those wide, high productivity, print jobs choose the Falcon II Outdoor 87" at $39,995.

Mutoh America will debut the Falcon II Outdoor and Falcon Outdoor printing with the new Eco-Solvent Plus ink at the following shows:

• Sign-a-Rama World Expo, Washington D.C. on July 24-25
• Signs Now Rally, Charlotte, NC, September 11-12
• Sign Business Best in Graphics Show, Long Beach, CA., September 18 - 20
• SGIA, Atlanta, GA., October 15 - 18