Xerox announced yesterday the local launch of its iGen3 digital production press, aimed at the high-end digital colour printing market.
The iGen3 is capable of producing 6 000 full-colour A4 or 1 500 impressions per hour, says Rob Abraham, MD of Xerox distributor Bytes Document Solutions. "It can hold a maximum of 180 000 sheets of 120g/m2 paper in its six feeder modules, with 12 paper trays per module."
The digital operation of the press allows for increased flexibility, which can greatly reduce waste, he adds. "It is very specific - customers often just want, say 2 500 copies, but end up having to print far more due to lack of flexibility. Now, you will be able to publish as little as just one book, if you want."
Black and white can now be mixed with colour on the final output, and each page can be personalised through back-end integration with customer relationship management systems, Web pages, or even relevant call centre data, adds Abraham.
The fully-fledged product is expected to cost between R6 million and R7 million, although the price could drop with future technological advancements. Despite the hefty price tag, Abraham says there is a market for such a device locally. The first two customers are Ince and Burlington Dataprint.
[VIDEO]"Xerox does not just enter into any market. The reason why the iGen3 is arriving here later than elsewhere is because the company was putting the necessary infrastructure in place. We expect to sell between 10 and 15 units locally."
Xerox CEO Anne Mulcahy says the device should not be viewed simply as a replacement solution, but rather is made to be complementary to offset printing.
Mulcahy adds that digital will play an increasingly significant role in the future of the printing market as a whole. "Never underestimate the capability of digital, as it will do some amazing things. Less than 5% of our revenue still comes from analogue - we are totally digital moving forward."
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