Inkjet & Digital Printing
Print Service Providers Build Their Futures with HP Indigo Digital Presses
Monday 24. November 2008 - More than 130 HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses sold in three months
HP today announced that its HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press, launched at drupa in May, has exceeded expectations with more than 130 presses sold in the first three months of its availability.
Aimed at print service providers (PSPs) printing more than one million pages per month, the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press offers production output at twice the speed previously available, streamlined workflows, the value-adding capabilities of variable data printing and substrate versatility.
The HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press delivers 120 high-quality four-colour A4-size pages per minute for customers in general commercial, direct-marketing, photo merchandise and book and publications printing. For high-print volume customers, the HP Indigo 7000 offers a total cost of ownership that significantly increases the break-even point of digital against conventional printing.(1)
“The HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press has attracted the attention of the worldwide market, and these strong sales – often for multiple units – show the readiness of the industry for a high-volume digital press. We have been able to complete all installations in time for the October to December peak season,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo Division, HP. “Many presses have been sold to new customers who are migrating from litho to digital, which demonstrates the success of HP Indigo technology in meeting the demands of the market.”
Among the benefits of the press as cited by users are:
Fast throughput for shorter turnaround times
Higher crossover point enabling more cost-effective use of digital and conventional production
Higher RIPping speeds for greater workflow efficiency
More efficient use of finishing equipment resulting from increased production speeds
The HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press uses HP SmartStream workflow solutions for streamlined production management from job creation to fulfilment. Highly flexible, centralised and scalable solutions, the servers can manage multiple HP Indigo presses, with automatic load balancing and single point of control.
Endorsement of HP’s vision in EMEA
The high number of recent installations of the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press demonstrate the industry’s acknowledgement of the benefits of HP Indigo technology and services, as well as of HP’s vision and implementation of digital technology in graphic arts businesses.
From the sale of multiple HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses at drupa to Consolidated Graphics, Inc., for use in North America and Europe, to sales to other PSPs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press is proving its capabilities in the worldwide market. Other PSPs in EMEA that have invested in HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses include:
CeWe Color AG, of Oldenburg, Germany, a leading European photo-finisher, producer of photo-specialty products, and beta tester of the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press, has added the press to capacity, which includes an additional 25 HP Indigo presses.
Digital Print Group O. Schimek GmbH, of Erlangen, Germany, installed a HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press for book and manual production. The company specialises in short-run books (under its BooksOnDemandCOLOR brand), as well as traditional commercial work.
F E Burman & Co., of London, UK, is well known as an innovator in print and was an early adopter of digital printing, installing an Indigo E-Print 1000 press in 1995, and subsequently an HP Indigo press 3050. Its HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press is being used to open new markets for the company.
infowerk ag, of Nuremburg, Germany, a beta site for the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press, subsequently ordered three presses to complement its four existing HP Indigo presses for the production of photo-specialty products, manuals, personalised direct mail and brochures.
Ilan Print, of Ashdod, Israel, installed an HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press as part of its development of photobook applications. The company is an existing HP Indigo press 5000 customer.
netservice.cc, of Eschen, Liechtenstein, installed two HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses to handle the demand for photobooks. In 2007, the company saw its photobook production rise by 940 percent.
Photobox Ltd, of London, has installed two HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses to carry out photo-speciality printing generated from high street retail chains, its own stores and direct online ordering. Photobox merged with the French photo printer, Photoways, which has a total of 11 HP Indigo presses groupwide, including two additional HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses in Sartrouville, France.
Pixart.it, of Venice, Italy, has invested in six HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses to increase its printing capacity based on web to print platform for European customers. The HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses are replacing multiple HP Indigo press 5000s and 3050s. Four HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press are already installed and working at Pixart.it, the remaining two HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses will be installed in January.
Precision Printing, of London, UK, installed an HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press to supplement its two HP Indigo press 5000s.
Prime Group, of Nottingham, UK, uses digital technology for variable data products including books and high-end direct mail. Its new HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press complements its existing HP Indigo press 5000.
Sommer Corporate Media, of Waiblingen, Germany, is a major supplier of digital print to the automotive and other industries. Its three new HP Indigo 7000 Digital Presses supplement its conventional production capacity and eight other HP Indigo presses.
Zquadra Digital Printing, of Kortrijk, Belgium, is the country’s first company to install the new HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press. The company uses the press for high-end brochure production.
(1) The crossover point is the number of copies above which it is more cost-effective to print conventionally.