Harper Anilox Press

Charlotte, N.C., January 15, 2008 - HarperScientific™, the printing and coating supplies division of global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America, announces the introduction of AltraWash Blue™, an environmentally friendly, multi-purpose cleaner for UV and solvent-based inks which is absolutely safe for use on aluminum.

The sister product to AltraWash Green™, the non-corrosive cleaner designed for water-based inks, AltraWash Blue is a new, concentrated cleaner specifically formulated for cleaning UV and solvent-based inks in pressure washing systems, soak tanks and ultrasonic tanks, or it can be used simply as an on-press anilox cleaner. It is also useful for cleaning printing plates.

"The fact that AltraWash Blue is perfectly safe for aluminum is particularly exciting," explained Tony Donato, Product Development Engineer at Harper Corporation of America. "Because aluminum is used in the construction of most wide-web and narrow-web anilox sleeves as well as lightweight anilox rolls, a non-corrosive cleaner with a safe pH level is critical for protecting anilox investments."

AltraWash Blue has a pH of 11.8. The new cleaner's advanced surfactant technology is also exceedingly environmentally friendly, using no petroleum distillates or environmentally hazardous chemicals. It is a biodegradable, low-V.O.C. product, and has low vapor pressure.

Available exclusively through HarperScientific (www.HarperScientific.com), this concentrated formula, which can be diluted with water, is sold in 1 gallon, 5 gallon, 30 gallon and 55 gallon containers.

HarperScientific is the manufacturer of CeramClean II™ and CeramClean SOLV-IT™ anilox cleaners, and a variety of bladed, laser-engraved hand-proofing systems including the Phantom™ line of hand proofers used to color-match flexographic and gravure inks.

For further information, please contact Jazmin Kluttz at 704-588-3371 or jkluttz@harperimage.com.