Pittsburgh, Pa., October 12, 2001 — Results of several original research studies on both press and prepress issues will premiere at this year’s Tech Alert conference sponsored by the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF). For the first time in the conference’s nine years, GATF has organized a prepress and press track so that attendees can investigate the impact of changing technologies in their particular area of interest. Being held January 27–29, 2002, at the Pittsburgh Hilton and Towers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tech Alert is the industry’s leading conference for gaining an in-depth understanding of the opportunities and challenges created by emerging technologies. For prepress managers, GATF will unveil results of studies on PDF workflows, CTP plates, and 8-up digital color proofing. For pressroom managers, GATF staff members will present a study on how the choice of blanket affects color fidelity and printing characteristics, survey results gauging satisfaction of printers who use ink key presetting, and a session on automating the pressroom. GATF will also moderate two panels spotlighting press and prepress technologies that received the prestigious 2001 InterTech Technology Awards—a prediction of major technologies that will impact the future of printing. Starting the event will be Andrew Seybold who will provide a glimpse at how coming developments in computing and wireless technology will transform a digitally-dependent industry like graphic communications. Seybold is president of the Andrew Seybold Group, a highly regarded consulting firm specializing in computing and advanced communications technologies. He is also the editor-in-chief of Forbes/Andrew Seybold’s Wireless Outlook, a monthly newsletter published jointly with Forbes magazine. Prior to founding his present company, he was vice president for Dataquest, a top market research and technology forecasting company, and held positions with Motorola, General Electric, and RCA. He established himself as a premiere technology analyst when he founded The Seybold Report on Professional Computing back in the 1970s. The keynote speaker on the second day, Peter Crean, will discuss the developments in underlying technologies to digital color imaging. One of only four Xerox Senior Fellows, Crean manages the Color Studio, a research and applications facility at the Webster, New York Xerox campus. His recent activities include the development of the technologies for high-quality, high-performance color imaging and printing systems, color management, color document creation, and high-speed networking. Crean’s presentation will help printers understand what the long-term future holds for advances in the speed, quality, and capabilities of toner-based and other non-impact technologies. Frank Romano, administrative chair for the School of Print Management and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, will deliver a general session on variable data printing (VDP). One of the foremost observers of this evolving technology, Romano will offer his analysis of the status of VDP, technology developments driving its growth, and the factors that affect a company’s success selling VDP services. Additionally a summary of the annual GATF Technology Forecast will be presented. The 2002 Forecast will cover economic and market trends, print processes and markets, ink and paper, digital prepress and digital workflow, finishing, industry standards and specifications, education and training, and the environment in articles written by industry specialists. Ray Prince, GATF’s senior technical consultant and the industry’s leading forecaster, will co-present with Vicki Stone, director of prepress operations for Green Printing and Packaging Company in Lexington, North Carolina, providing practical comments on the 2002 Forecast. Registration fee for the two-day conference is $695 ($595 for GATF/PIA members) for the first registrant and $100 less for additional registrants from the same organization. Included in the conference fee is a copy of the GATF 2002 Technology Forecast, preliminary handouts for GATF’s original research studies, and a welcome reception. To obtain a free brochure detailing the conference or a registration form, call the GATF/PIA fax-on-demand line at 888/272-3329 and request document number 13002. To register online visit www.gain.net and choose PIA/GATF and Technical Training.