News release

HP Forms Alliance with Quark to Dramatically Simplify Creation and Production of One-to-one Marketing Communications

HP propels variable printing workflows mainstream with open standards-based solutions and partners

HP today announced an alliance with Quark, Inc., the world's leading developer of desktop publishing software solutions, to simplify and enhance the creation, management and delivery of highly customized marketing communications.

The alliance supports HP's efforts to make digital printing workflows seamless based on open standards with exceptional performance across multiple printing environments and devices. At Drupa, HP is demonstrating for the first time how HP Production Flow software and hardware helps customers manage their print shops whether they are printing to an HP Indigo press or clusters of HP Designjet or HP LaserJet printers.

"HP's alliance with Quark further confirms our commitment to developing the infrastructure needed to transform marketing for enterprise corporations, their agencies and commercial printers," said Bill McGlynn, vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "By making it easy to integrate customer relationship management databases with the design and printing process, companies will realize the impact of real-time targeted marketing and the increased return on investment, while agencies and commercial printers will realize new business opportunities."

In order to streamline the printing process, Quark will be releasing QuarkXClusive, a new XTensions software module that makes powerful variable data publishing capabilities optimized for HP output devices available to users of QuarkXPress 6, the most popular design and layout program on the market. Moreover, Quark will certify HP graphic arts printers and presses, on an exclusive basis, for optimized print performance.

"Our companies are working together to deliver a superior customer experience. With HP we can give designers, marketers and output providers the tools they need to capitalize on new business opportunities in digital printing and truly drive a shift to variable-data publishing," said Kamar Aulakh, president and chief executive officer, Quark. "The message is clear. The time to adopt digital content creation and printing is now."

HP and Quark also plan to collaborate on new initiatives in the areas of color management, custom solutions and joint technical support.

"In the traditional production printing space, it is the workflow and application that drives meaningful changes in the printing process; the easier, more streamlined that process is for the end user, the better," said Don Dixon, principal analyst, Gartner Inc. "The alignment of industry leaders has the potential to fast forward adoption of variable data printing."

Increased performance and interoperability

In addition to the relationship with Quark, HP Production Flow software and hardware, along with the recently announced HP Production Press Manager (the digital front end for the new HP Indigo press 5000), significantly streamline the processing of large, variable data jobs.

HP Production Flow and Production Press Manager are powerful, stable digital workflow management tools based on open standards for job tickets (JDF and XML), database (SQL) and data formats (PostScript, PDF, PPML). Both combine ease of use and productivity with scalable, high-performance RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing and Web-to-print connectivity.

Two of the first companies to adopt the new HP-enhanced PPML format are Datalogics, Inc. and GMC Software Technology. Both companies will showcase at the HP Drupa booth for the first time software solutions for variable document design, composition and the high-speed production of high-volume print jobs. In addition, new JDF (Job Definition Format)-based Web-to-print solutions have been fully integrated with HP Production Flow and will be demonstrated by, among other firms, Printable Technologies and TripleArc, leading providers of online print management and procurement solutions.

Full range of HP digital expertise displayed at Drupa 2004

HP's entire portfolio of color imaging and printing solutions for the graphic arts industry, from high-speed digital color presses to digital pre-press, proofing and professional photo capabilities – along with products and solutions of more than 40 HP partners – are featured at HP Stand 4C23.

Bringing together an industry-leading network of products, partners and solutions to deliver the most comprehensive graphic arts portfolio in the market, HP will be demonstrating for customers simpler and faster ways to adopt value-added print applications that deliver on the promise of relevant, one-to-one communications.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. For the last four fiscal quarters, HP revenue totaled $74.7 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.