“HP has taken a long-hoped-for market in digital books and made it a reality with the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press,” said Paolo Bandecchi, president, Rotolito Lombarda. “Our company has always embraced new, innovative approaches to growth, and we are pleased to be advancing the application of digital to optimize our production performances and gain cost efficiencies with the help and support of a technological leader like HP.”
In the HP booth, the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press is being showcased in a life-size interactive display, along with samples highlighting the wide range of compatible media and partner solutions.
HP is highlighting at PRINT 09 additional partners that have developed systems for use with the HP T300, including CMC, Hunkeler, MBO, Muller Martini and Ultimate Technographics.
In addition, EMT International and MEGTEC Systems have built solutions that are integrated into core HP T300 product development activities. EMT will work on the development and manufacture of wide-web inkjet press platforms in addition to specialty finishing solutions for the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press. MEGTEC Systems, a new HP Graphics Solutions Partner, has developed and is supplying customized drying solutions for use with the HP T300.
Enhanced quality with ColorPRO Technology for media
HP also announced new media offerings for the HP T300 and HP Designjet printers. ColorPRO Technology represents a quality standard for color excellence in digital printing, based on use of a set of paper enhancement technologies and meeting a set of strictly defined performance specifications. Papers with ColorPRO Technology deliver visibly enhanced print quality including more striking colors, crisper text and graphics, and higher-contrast blacks when compared to standard, uncoated offset and untreated bond papers.
Paper manufacturers worldwide can gain access to ColorPRO Technology by entering into licensing agreements with HP. HP announced a business relationship with Domtar Corporation for the production of ColorPRO papers compatible with the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press.
The first ColorPRO Technology media will include uncoated text and book grades for use with the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press, and HP Universal Bond Paper and HP Bright White Inkjet Paper for use with HP Designjet large-format printers.
Continued leadership with HP Indigo W7200 availability
HP announced the commercial availability of the HP Indigo W7200 Digital Press – a roll-fed LEP dual-engine solution that combines proven HP Indigo offset quality with the productivity required to excel in a variety of applications, including on-demand and short-run book printing, high-volume personalized color direct-mail campaigns and high-value transpromotional statement printing.
Using liquid HP ElectroInks – including custom-mixed spot colors – in up to seven color stations, the press prints at 240 letter-size, four-color pages per minute (ppm), or 960 letter-size ppm monochrome. It features a large image area that can significantly enhance productivity(2) in postcard and 6- x 9-inch (153- x 229-mm) book applications. In addition, the format size enables the digital production and personalization of folders, folding mailers, folding albums and book jackets previously manufactured using analog processes.
The LEP process, which uses liquid HP ElectroInks instead of toner for unparalleled image quality, has already made HP Indigo the industry-leading production press technology for photo book and other photo specialty products.(1) In 2010, HP plans to provide enhanced capabilities for the HP Indigo W7200 Digital Press to enable higher-volume photo specialty production.
At PRINT 09, HP also is highlighting the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press, as well as exhibiting the HP Indigo press 5500 printing with a new white ink scheduled to be available for users of 5000 and 5500 model presses in early 2010. The first such digital press ink for sheet-fed commercial printing, HP ElectroInk White enables customers to pursue an extended range of high-value applications that typically require clear, colored or metallic foil substrates, such as point-of-purchase materials, overlays and name plates.
Workflows and partners for streamlined productivity
PRINT 09 also features the comprehensive HP SmartStream Workflow Portfolio including the newest version of the HP SmartStream Director end-to-end workflow solution. Other HP workflow components on display include upgraded versions of HP SmartStream Designer and the HP SmartStream Production Plus, Production Pro and Ultra print servers. In addition, HP is featuring the newly announced HP Exstream 7.0 enterprise document automation software, which offers more than 250 enhancements to provide enterprises with a single source for enhanced enterprise document automation.
HP also introduced the HP Graphics Solutions Partner Program. Developed for partner solutions that integrate with products in the HP Designjet, Indigo, Inkjet Web Press and Scitex product lines, the program creates the open environment needed for streamlined productivity, with specific solutions to address key market segments that are customizable and scalable to unique business needs.
Analog-to-digital transition and the environment
The analog-to-digital printing transition opportunities presented by HP at PRINT 09 can help the printing industry minimize its environmental impact by significantly reducing waste and inventory. HP estimates that 90 percent of the world’s current analog printing carbon footprint can be addressed by digital printing solutions.(1)
By the year 2020, environmental benefits from changes in paper-based communications can achieve significant levels. According to HP analysts, the widespread adoption of digital printing by that year, when combined with optimal paper supply sourcing strategies outlined in The Climate Group’s landmark SMART 2020 report,(3) could result in a reduction of 30 percent or more in the world’s carbon-dioxide emissions, which is comparable to the estimated benefit achieved through a global transition to efficient vehicles.
