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DKS Minilabs from KIS Photo-Me Group Win DIMA Shoot-Out – Again

Minilabs’ 5th Straight Shoot-Out Win; PhotoBookPro Named ‘Innovative Digital Product’

LAS VEGAS, 8 March 2006 – A jury of photographic imaging experts has determined that output from the DKS 1770 and DKS 1610 digital minilabs, manufactured by KIS Photo-Me Group, is superior to any of its competitors, and has awarded the minilabs first prize in this year’s DIMA Shoot-Out image quality competition, it was announced today at the Photo Marketing Association Convention and Trade Show here.
This is the fifth straight year that DKS minilabs from KIS Photo-Me Group have taken top honors in the DIMA Shoot-Out – the photo imaging industry’s leading head-to-head competition. This year, the DKS 1770 was selected for best image quality in the up-to-12-inch-wide category, while the DKS 1610 was selected best in the important up-to-8-inch-wide category.
In addition, a panel of imaging professionals and opinion leaders at PMA named the PhotoBookPro photo album creation system one of 2006’s “Innovative Digital Products.” The PhotoBookPro is an open-architecture production system powered by a variant of the company’s My Creativ’ Album software. PhotoBookPro automatically scores, joins, folds and binds picture pages into quality photo books up to 12x8 inches in size in only three minutes, according to KIS Photo-Me Group.
“We’re very proud of our continuing performance in the DIMA Shoot-Out, and of the recognition our digital minilabs and innovative retail imaging products are receiving from some of our industry’s leading imaging experts year after year,” said Thierry Villard, President of KIS Photo-Me Group. “Winning 5 Years in a row is a great achievement, these awards are further evidence of our company’s ongoing efforts to be a world leader in retail photofinishing and consumer imaging, and to provide our customers with the best imaging solutions available.” Said Kevin Donohue President and CEO of Digital Portal.
The versatile DKS 1770 minilab produces a wide range of creative photo products up to 12x18 inches and up to 2,000 4x6-inch prints per hour at 350-dpi resolution – all from a remarkably small footprint. The more economical DKS 1610 minilab offers the same productivity for photo products up to 8x12 inches. Both series feature the company’s proprietary MSB HD exposure system for exceptional image quality, an easy-to-use operator interface, Quick Load paper apparatus to minimize downtime, and a “hub and spoke” architecture that allows these printers to be networked with multiple self-serve kiosks to optimize productivity and revenues.
DKS 17 and DKS 16 Series models take up less than one square meter of floor space, and all connect to the company’s remarkable PhotoBookPro. All background themes, layout templates, text and graphic treatments, and other digital embellishments for making enticing, creative photo products are included in the My Creativ’ Album software installed on all KIS Photo-Me Group printers.
The DIMA Digital Printer Shoot-Out uses a “target file” created by some of the best color experts in the industry. This file is sent out to digital printer, media, ink and RIP manufacturers to output according to the specifications of the event. Prints were created in a short turnaround time, sent back to DIMA, and displayed on the PMA 2006 trade show floor for judging by an independent panel of imaging experts.
The award-winning DKS digital minilabs and PhotoBookPro, as well as other products from KIS Photo-Me Group, are available worldwide. Pricing and other information can be obtained by contacting a company-authorized representative.

About Photo-Me International and KIS - Photo-Me International plc is a specialized digital imaging company focused on professional laboratories and end-consumer vending solutions. PMI has developed a unique range of digital professional processing laboratories – minilabs and central labs – and a suite of consumer vending digital imaging solutions. PMI’s minilabs have been developed through its KIS subsidiary in Grenoble, France.

About KIS USA - KIS USA Inc is a US corporation registered in the state of Delaware with headquarters in Grand Prairie Texas. KIS USA is the representative company in the United States for all KIS Photo-Me products.