MFPA Enlarges Scope of Organization to Include Digital Copiers and Other Connected Digital Products

MFPA adopts new name—Multifunction Products Association (MFPA)

San Diego, CA, October 14, 1999 – The Multifunction Peripheral Association (MFPA) today announced that it has changed it name to the Multifunction Products Association while maintaining its well-known symbol-- MFPA. The organization has responded to the needs of its membership whose products have evolved from lower-end multifunction peripherals offerings to medium to higher-end digital copiers, printers and similar devices employing the internet and other network topologies to enable more efficient document sharing. The MFPA’s membership has also grown to include new member companies representing the various converging technologies within the office including manufacturers/suppliers internet and web-based technologies as well as suppliers of digital copiers/printers and color management technology.

“Because of rapid changes in the multifunction industry and the significant growth in both the complexity and diversity of multifunction products being manufactured worldwide and the significant impact of the internet’s wider bandwidth for enhanced document connectivity, the MFPA organization and its members are well poised to take advantage of the existing opportunities in this evolving market to enhance the delivery of the electronic document,” said Craig B. Douglass, Managing Director, MFPA. “This announcement by the MFPA will enable the MFPA to aggressively build and grow the organization to meet the growing needs of our membership,” said Josh Mailman, president of the MFPA.

The MFPA is an industry association established for the promotion and development of multifunction products including lower-end MFP devices to middle to higher-end digital copier and network scanning devices and related standards. The MFPA represents key vendors and technology contributors within this industry as well as sponsors a successful document connectivity industry conference and exhibition with CAP Ventures, The Converging Digital Peripherals/Integrated Office Conference (CDP/IOC), each year in October. The organization provides an invaluable forum for discussing and collaborating on technical issues with the purpose of advancing the multifunction and digitally connected products industry. In addition, the organization provides information and development support to promote electronics document interchange. (For more information on the CDP/IOC conference contact the MFPA office at 800 603-MFPA or CAP Ventures at 781-871-9000.)

The MFPA was first organized in August 1993. Over the ensuing 5 years, the industry has rapidly evolved with the introduction of unique product offerings by system manufacturers such as Hewlett Packard, Xerox and others as well as system architecture offerings by Adobe Systems, Microsoft, Peerless, Wind River Systems, Xionics and a number of other key participants. Technology/product vendors such as Adobe Systems, Apple Computer, Brother, Canon, Device Guys, efax.com (formally JetFax), Mita, Minolta, Oak Technologies, Omnifax (Danka), Okidata, Peerless Systems, Ricoh, Samsung, Toshiba, Texas Instruments, Wind River, Xionics and Zenographics have actively supported the organization as well as the silicon and peripheral suppliers such as Conexant (formally a division of Rockwell), AHT, AMP and Pixel Magic. Other contributors include, Array Printers AB, Axis Communications, Emulex Corporation, Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Konica Corporation, Lexmark International, NETsilicon, Inc./DPI Division, Oasis Semiconductor, Inc., and WETTEK.

30 -END- 30