TOSHIBA AMERICA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC. RECEIVES FIVE BERTL’S BEST AWARDS RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

IRVINE , California   ( May 23, 2006 ) :

Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) today announced that it has received five BERTL®’s Best awards from BERTL (formerly Business Equipment Research and Test Laboratories), demonstrating the company’s commitment to developing industry leading products and technologies. Recognizing the best in digital imaging technology and innovation, TABS received awards for five e-STUDIO™ products in the following three categories:

  • Best 20 to 29 PPM Monochrome Office MFP (e-STUDIO202L, e-STUDIO232 and e-STUDIO282);
  • Best 41 to 50 PPM Occasional Color MFP (e-STUDIO451c); and
  • Best 60 to 69 PPM Monochrome Office MFP (e-STUDIO600).

BERTL’s Best awards are presented to the best devices, software and management utilities in the worldwide digital imaging marketplace. BERTL’s analysts review current product lines and new product introductions to identify the select group of devices and software that stand apart from all others. Overall business process value is the key consideration in judging which products are BERTL’s Best. BERTL combines its wide-ranging knowledge of the competitive landscape and ongoing contact with buyers about their product and supplier experiences to identify worthy products. BERTL further analyzes network print and copy productivity, image quality, return on investment and competitive advantage, among other features, to determine the winning products.

“We are extremely pleased to receive these five prestigious awards for our outstanding product innovations,” said Steve Rhorer, vice president, Marketing for TABS. “Toshiba prides itself on its commitment to developing product technologies that are dependable, easy to use and that satisfy a true business need, and these awards are validation that we are delivering on this promise to our customers.”

Toshiba’s award-winning products include the following:

e-STUDIO202L/232/282

Each the e-STUDIO202L, 232 and 282 were recognized in the Best 20 to 29 PPM Monochrome Office MFP category. With output speeds of 20, 23 and 28 pages-per-minute (PPM) respectively, the multifunction product (MFP) series was selected for “its space-saving design, ease of use, and affordability demanded of a workgroup device – with the versatility and functionality offered by devices with higher price tags.”

e-STUDIO451c

The e-STUDIO451c MFP, producing documents at a rate of 11 color and 45 monochrome PPM, was the winner in the Best 41 to 50 PPM Occasional Color MFP category. The system was chosen as a result of versatility designed to “meet the document demands of a busy workgroup including monochrome and color printing, scanning with eCopy, and diverse finishing options.”

e-STUDIO600

Toshiba’s 2,400 x 600 dpi e-STUDIO600 received the distinction of Best 60 to 69 PPM Monochrome Office MFP for the second year running, with BERTL noting, “The e-STUDIO600 provides an advanced feature set tuned to the needs of busy departmental environments. By equipping it with user-friendly tools, Toshiba ensures that businesses will get the most from its advanced functionality.”

About BERTL

BERTL® Inc. is the premier source for objective, independent product-evaluation reports and comparative analyses on digital imaging devices and software. BERTL’s evaluation reports, customer satisfaction research, awards and product ratings are undertaken entirely at BERTL’s expense for the benefit of its international subscriber base. At all times, BERTL’s primary focus is the end user. BERTL publishes the world’s largest library of evaluation reports on copiers, printers, MFPs, fax machines and color production devices. The reports are available in a range of specialized subscription services: Color at Work®, LabCheck® and Imaging at Work®. Also available is the DataCheck® service, a database of more than 4,000 products covering all major manufacturers. To learn more about BERTL, visit www.BERTL.com or call (732) 761-2311.

About Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.

Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) manages product planning, marketing, sales, service support and distribution of copiers, facsimiles, multifunction printing products, network controllers, and toner products throughout the United States, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TABS has four divisions: the Electronic Imaging Division; the Toner Products Division; the Document Solutions Engineering Division; and TOPAC U.S.A., Inc., dba Toshiba Business Solutions (TBS), a wholly-owned subsidiary corporation of TABS, that operates a network of wholly owned office equipment dealers throughout the United States.

Named the most favored manufacturer seven times by the Business Technology Association (BTA), Toshiba’s entire product line, customer support and marketing distribution policies are markers for the industry. Among the many other awards garnered in recent years, Toshiba was named the “Copier Manufacturer of the Year” six times by the Marketing Research Consultants (MRC), and has twice been named to the CIO 100 for being among the top 100 “bold” (2005) and “agile” (2004) companies in the world.

TABS is an independent operating company of Toshiba Corporation, the sixth largest electronics/electrical equipment company and the world's 72nd largest company in terms of sales. Ranked by Fortune magazine as the 9th Most Admired Electronics Company in the World, Toshiba Corporation is a world leader in high technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. Fiscal year revenue in 2004 was approximately $55 billion.

For more information on Toshiba copier, facsimile, multifunction printing products, network controllers or toner products, or for a dealer in your area, call 1-800-GO-TOSHIBA or visit the TABS Web site at www.copiers.toshiba.com.