Creo Customers Strongly Support Current Board and Management

    Business Editors

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2005--Creo Inc. (NASDAQ:CREO) (TSX:CRE) announced today that Creo customers from around the world are expressing concern about the contradictory and ill-conceived "strategy" proposed for Creo by a small group of dissident shareholders seeking control of the company. Many customers have responded by actively expressing their support for the Creo board and management. In their letters of support, customers have repeatedly stressed the value they place on Creo's proven track record of developing and delivering innovative products and services that are reshaping the graphic arts industry. Other customers have stated their reluctance to remain loyal to Creo and its products if there is a risk of reduced innovation and service, which is likely to occur if the dissidents' cost-cutting proposals are implemented. Customers have also emphasized the importance of Creo's past and future investments in customer service to maintaining customer loyalty:

    "As a long-term customer of Creo, with one of the largest single site installations of Creo thermal plate and proof imaging devices, I cannot see how the current efforts by some shareholders will be of any benefit to Creo customers and shareholders. Rather than unlocking value, this effort threatens to destroy the basic value of the company itself. Creo is a unique company with much of its value stemming from its progressive culture of excellence and innovation. The staff is the best that has ever served the graphics industry. Their products push the envelope of innovation and enable us to keep print competitive as a communication tool. The Creo management team has shown the drive and determination to repeatedly bring to market 'best-in-class' products that offer incredible value to me as a customer, from beautifully engineered and extremely reliable hardware, to workflow software that ties it all together. The dissident shareholders offer nothing to me as a customer. I have no confidence that they can run the company better, or deliver products that I will purchase in the future. I strongly urge shareholders to reject the proposed changes to the board and management team."

    -- Jim Sewell, VP of Technology, L.P. Thebault Company

    "I am positive that Creo's current direction is what will ultimately lead it to become the preeminent prepress vendor in the printing industry. With the current products available and with the current projects in development, I have no doubt that Creo will be the vendor of choice for everyone who remains in business. My position on (the) company's management is absolute. No team could possibly replace Amos and his current group. The company's very culture is dependent upon this team and its leadership. As one of the major customers of Creo, I have no doubt that Creo would never be the same without them and I possibly would be looking elsewhere for a vendor partner. I will be forever in debt to Creo and its management for coming to our industry's rescue in such trying times with its management's special vision of the future."

    -- David Motheral, President, Motheral Printing

    "I believe that the current board of directors and management team are working in the best interest of Creo and have a farsighted strategy for moving the industry - and in particular Creo customers - towards print-reproduction systems and practices that are more efficient and less prone to error, providing better quality and consistency at lower costs with less waste."

    -- Chris Yates, VP, New & Legacy Systems Manager, White Rose Printing Company

    "We are a commercial printing company that has invested heavily in Creo products and services over the years. Innovation and vision are the reason why we continue to expand our investment with Creo as a partner. We fully support the current board and management team at Creo, as they share our goals in research, technology and productivity. A change in those goals by Creo leadership may result in a change in our equipment investments."

    -- Benson Young, Chief Technology Officer, Knight-Abbey Commercial Printing & Direct Mail

    "Creo is a phenomenal company. Not only do they offer cutting-edge technology, but also the knowledge and support to go with it. That's what puts them well above the rest. They treat every customer on a personal basis, answering their needs. That is what makes Creo special. They revolutionized the prepress industry and continue to maintain their position on the forefront of technology. What's more important is that I TRUST Creo. I know that when I purchase a product from Creo, it will work. Better than that; if the product doesn't quite fit the bill for my shop, Creo makes it work. I have never been affiliated with a company that gives you access to their development team, much less cares enough to even listen to my ideas and needs. I am in complete support of Creo remaining exactly the way they are today. There's no reason to mess with success."

    -- Kathy Hooper, Prepress Manager, (company name withheld)

    "It wasn't just that your software worked and had made my life so much easier; it was also the way you do business that I had grown to enjoy. My (former) company was a small $8 million a year commercial printer but Creo treated me as though I was their only customer. My new company is planning a workflow upgrade in 2006 and we are currently in the process of laying the groundwork. I am part of a team that will make the recommendation. Creo has a voice at the table as long as I sit there."

    -- Allen Filson, Digital Services Specialist, The Sheridan Press

    "Working with Creo over the past nine years has been a wonderful experience, and this in a large way is related to (Amos Michelson's) leadership and vision for Creo and the industry. To this day, any organization that I deal with is measured against the service level and proactive nature of the Creo Service and Response Center, Field Engineers, and Account Managers. Creo has a unique balance of creating for the future while ensuring that what's developed is consistent with industry trends of the end user and Consumer Product Companies. Many companies do not either place the same value on this that Creo does or have the people, leadership or infrastructure to support a higher level of thinking and true interest in providing solutions that are targeted at clients' needs."

    -- Dave Miller, Director - Prepress Services, The John Henry Company

    "Our company chose Creo to be our strategic partner in providing our clients with the best equipment and workflow solutions in the industry. We have never regretted making that decision. Creo is the first company that I have worked with that actually listens to its clients and their needs and responds to them very quickly. It is very refreshing to actually participate in the development and improvement of the products and solutions that we use on a day to day basis. Creo is by far the best and most responsive company I have ever had the pleasure to deal with. I am willing to do whatever I can to keep Creo being Creo."

    -- Ron Barnett, EPP Manager and VP of Technology, Hatcher Press

    "In the past year I have experienced what I call the "full effect" of Creo's dedication to customer service and the lengths to which Creo personnel will go in order to build lasting, beneficial relationships with their customers, defined by dedication and loyalty by and for all parties. About one year ago, our company decided to upgrade our workflow. After much study and reviewing all of our options, we decided to purchase Creo's Prinergy(R). The support that we received from everyone we dealt with at Creo was nothing short of phenomenal. Whereas other vendors supply you with a product and a certain level of support, Creo's personnel - all of Creo's personnel - took "ownership" of this account and became our partners in business. Obviously the Management and the Directors of Creo have surrounded themselves with the most capable and imaginative people to be found in this business and those people have been empowered by their management to employ not just their technical skills but their inventiveness as well. This company greatly values its partnership with Creo."

    -- Jim Carter, Plant Manager, Knight-Abbey Commercial Printers

    Creo is currently responding to a small group of dissident shareholders seeking control of the company. Please visit www.creo.com/shareholdervalue to read other comments from customers voicing support for Creo.

    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described under the caption "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" and elsewhere in our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and which are incorporated herein by reference. We do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this news release.

    (C) 2005 Creo Inc. The Creo product names mentioned in this document are trademarks or service marks of Creo Inc. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Other company and brand, product and service names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Data subject to change without notice.

    About Creo

    Creo Inc. is a global company with key strengths in imaging, software, and digital printing plate technology. The leading provider of prepress systems, Creo helps over 25,000 customers worldwide adopt digital production methods which reduce costs, increase print quality and allow them to serve their customers more efficiently. Based on a solid foundation of intellectual property, Creo has an unmatched range of technology solutions that address the needs of commercial, publication, on demand, packaging, and newspaper printers, and creative professionals. Creo product lines include software and hardware for computer-to-plate imaging, systems for digital photography, scanning, and proofing, as well as printing plates and proofing media. Creo also supplies on-press imaging technology, components for digital presses, color servers and high-speed digital printers.

    Based in Vancouver, Canada, Creo reported fiscal 2004 revenue of US$636 million. Creo trades on Nasdaq (CREO) and the TSX (CRE).

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CONTACT: Creo Inc. Rochelle van Halm Media Relations (Headquarters) (604) 676-4526 Email: rochelle.van.halm@creo.com OR Creo Inc. Tracy Rawa Investor Relations (604) 419-4794 Email: IR@creo.com Website: www.creo.com

KEYWORD: NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE PUBLISHING SOFTWARE SOURCE: Creo Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2005