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HP ups competition in digital printing

By Nadine Arendse
Johannesburg, 16 Mar 2012

HP ups competition in digital printing

HP has thrown down the gauntlet to rival digital and litho manufacturers with the launch of a new B2 digital press, the 3 450sph HP Indigo 10 000, almost a decade after it mothballed the concept, Printweek reveals.

The press, which carries a basic $1.5 million price tag, was one of 10 new products unveiled at the manufacturer's pre-Drupa 2012 press conference, in Israel, ahead of their formal launch this May.

HP also launched dedicated digital carton and flexible packaging presses, the 20 000 and the 30 000, based around the printing engine on the new B2 format 10 000 sheet-fed press, Labels & Labeling reports.

The Indigo 20 000 is dedicated to flexible packaging and labels, and the 30 000 to folding cartons.

Both presses will have in-line priming stations and the seven-colour, one-shot print engine.

The 20 000 press is roll-fed with a 30-inch/ 76.2cm print width. There will be a special opaque white and workflow optimised for variable data and colour management, in a system co-developed with EskoArtwork.

Francois Martin, worldwide marketing director of HP's graphics solutions business, said the 10 000 was aimed at existing digital businesses expanding their offerings, as well as large offset businesses moving into the sector, PrintWeek writes.

"Digital print is no longer an option. Customers have growing requirements that include short-run, high-quality, versioned jobs. The 10 000 will cater for these," he said.

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