Epson WorkForce(R) Printers Selected to Print Credentials for 82nd Annual Academy Awards(R)

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- For 11 years in a row, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected Epson printers to speedily print thousands of high-quality, borderless credentials for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards Ceremony airing on Sunday, March 7.

"I rely on Epson printers to produce thousands of credentials for high-profile events every year," said Deborah Cahn, manager of Credential Operations for the Academy.  "Epson printers cater to unique and demanding printing needs like ours.  Instant-dry and smudge-resistant inks are a necessity to quickly print credentials as people wait in line, and the WorkForce 40s have been flawlessly churning out color badges for years."

The WorkForce 40 is a compact, single function printer designed for high-volume printing, with speeds up to twice as fast as competitive models(1). The WorkForce 40 offers sharp laser-quality black text at speeds of 15 black/9.3 color ISO pages per minute(2). The new ISO/IEC 24734 industry speed standard was created to provide an unbiased comparison of specifications across manufacturers to help individuals, small business owners and corporate buyers make smarter purchasing decisions.  In addition, it offers built-in Wi-Fi and wired networking to share and print files from virtually anywhere in an office area.

More About the WorkForce 40

• Cost-Efficient Printing:  The WorkForce 40 is ENERGY STAR compliant, uses up-to-three times less energy than a laser printer(3) and includes double-sided printing capabilities for increased paper saving(4). It also uses four-color individual ink cartridges for replacing only the color that is needed, and extra high-capacity black ink cartridges are available for high volume tasks.
• DURABrite® Ultra Ink: Epson's exclusive all-pigment inks produce laser-quality text and stunning graphics on all media types. The ink offers smudge and water resistance(5) to protect important documents, fade resistance on plain paper that is rated up to six times longer than leading competitive prints(6), and is highlighter-friendly on plain paper.
• Advanced DX3™ MicroPiezo® print head technology: Epson's print head technology features smart nozzles that can each produce and precisely place three sizes of ink droplets, as small as two picoliters; this technology is also featured in large-scale printers used by leading commercial and industrial companies across the globe to deliver innovative digital, photo lab and textile printing products and services.

"We're thrilled that Epson WorkForce printers were again requested by the Academy to deliver the fastest and best print quality," said R. Craig Allen, product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc.  "The WorkForce suite of printers and all-in-ones are engineered for small business customers and the line provides the best printing, scanning and image output tools critical to small business success."

For more information, please see the WorkForce 40 fact sheet or visit www.Epson.com.

About Epson America Inc.

Epson America Inc. is a leading provider of an extensive range of printers, 3LCD projectors, scanners and point-of-service printers that are renowned for their high quality, functionality, innovation and energy efficiency. Epson America is a U.S. affiliate of Seiko Epson Corporation, which employs more than 70,000 people in 106 companies around the world. Seiko Epson is committed to its ongoing contributions to the global environment and for the second year in a row has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for leading companies in economic, environmental and social criteria.

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Epson, DURABrite and MicroPiezo registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. WorkForce and DX3 are trademark of Epson America Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

(1) Black text printing about two times faster compared to ink jet printers priced at $129 or less, available as of April 2008.  Based on independent test in default mode printing typical office documents.

(2) Laser quality black and color print speeds are ESAT in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Actual print times will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. See www.epson.com/printspeed for details, including complete ISO reports.

(3) Compared to competitive monochrome laser printers at $199 and under available as of March 2008.  Based on Epson testing of power estimated to be used during an eight-hour day.

(4) Available for Windows only.

(5) Water resistance on Epson Glossy Papers, Epson Matte Papers and plain papers, when using genuine Epson inks.

(6) Ink fade resistance ratings based on accelerated testing of unframed color prints on plain paper in indoor display conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to light intensity, temperature, humidity and other factors. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints. See www.wilhelm-research.com.

SOURCE Epson America Inc.