Fargo Electronics Launches Persona C11, ``Most User-Friendly Printer In Its Class''.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2001

Describing it as the "most user-friendly printer in its class," Gary R. Holland, Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRGO) president and CEO, today officially launched the new Persona(R)C11 desktop plastic card printer.

"The C11 is performance-driven, with the features that our end users are demanding. It is easy to set up and use," said Holland. "With a small desktop footprint, high-tech industrial design, and cool ice blue case, the C11 is ideal for the office environment. At $2,095.00 (MSRP), the C11 offers a superb price/value solution for the entry-level user, and it will anchor our value-oriented Persona line."

"A full color dye-sublimation printer, the C11 prints high-quality, continuous-tone photo ID cards edge-to-edge on standard CR-80 PVC cards," said Kathleen Phillips, Fargo's Vice President of Marketing.

"Designed for simple, quick setup, the C11 has a one-touch top cover release which opens widely for convenient access and ease of use within small spaces," Phillips noted. "Drop-in `one-way' ribbon loading prevents user error, and a spring-loaded infeed tray provides one-step, no-hassle loading of up to 45 cards every time.

"Equipped with a high-performance print engine, the C11 is fast (30 seconds per card, YMCKO, single-sided), quiet, and provides a sharp image quality. A new, high-tack silicone card roller mechanism provides highly reliable feeding, card after card," she continued.

"With an interactive CD for fast installation of our `next-generation' printer driver, and a new, convenient interface, the C11 is also very user-friendly. Powerful new features include a user-definable print/overlay for creating `keep out' areas for such things as signature panels, and independent resin panel control to assure crisp text and bar codes. Automatic ribbon calibration insures optimal card image clarity and low maintenance, while a "ribbon low" warning prompts users to check supplies status," Phillips said.

The C11 is also available in a monochrome-only (256 shades of grey) version, the M11. At just $1,695.00 (MSRP), the M11 is ideal for applications such as single-color photo ID cards, and offers high-quality, resin-based printing with a variety of separate resin ribbon colors. It is also extremely quick, with a print time of just five seconds per card.

Options for both the C11 and M11 include built-in ISO magnetic stripe encoding (Hi-Co/Lo-Co); USB-to-Parallel interface cable; Ethernet interface adapter, and printer cleaning kit.

Note to editors: For a JPEG photo file, log on to the Fargo Media Room at http://www.fargo.com/Corporate_info/product_photos.asp, or for a complete product brochure and specifications, link to http://www.personaprinters.com/products/persona_c11_m11.asp , or e-mail your request to [e-mail].

About Fargo

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRGO) is the world's leader in innovative technologies for desktop plastic card personalization systems. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Fargo printing systems create personalized plastic identification cards complete with digital images and text, lamination, and electronically encoded information.

Personalized identification cards provide physical, information and transaction security for a wide variety of applications including retail stores, e-commerce, government installations, schools, sports and recreation facilities, clubs and associations, and correctional facilities. More than 50,000 Fargo systems are currently installed throughout the U.S. and in over 100 other countries. For more information, visit Fargo's Web site at http://www.fargo.com.