Diversified sign-making and vehicle graphics company Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral has opened up about its recent investment in a new HP Latex FS50W printer, its third HP Latex purchase of 2025, revealing how the machine has allowed the business to increase production speed and expand its customer base.
Located in Bromborough and operating as part of the Signs Express franchise network, Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral partners with customers on a wide range of creative applications. The company runs under the leadership of Ian Furlong and Louise Sergent, with a commitment to providing a full suite of end-to-end signage solutions.
Having already invested in two HP Latex machines earlier in 2025 in the form of an HP Latex 800W and an HP Latex R530, the company recently took the decision to take on a third machine from authorised HP partner Papergraphics, this time electing for a new HP Latex FS50W. It took delivery of the machine at the start of August 2025 after Ian and Louise saw the printer in action at the HP Graphics Experience Centre in Barcelona.
Running at a top speed of 89sq m/hr in colour mode and 54sq m/hr with white ink, the HP Latex FS50W can run media up to 3.2m wide, allowing users to take on all manner of work. The machine can print at a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200dpi in nine colours, including HP Latex Optimiser and HP Latex Overcoat for a high-quality finish on all applications.
“In purchasing the machine, it made us the first franchise within the Signs Express group to purchase a 3.2m-wide printer,” Ian and Louise said. “While we are still new to the business, having only taken control in December last year, we are keen to invest and expand our production capabilities.”
As Ian and Louise were no strangers to HP Latex, they were already aware of the benefits of working with the technology. These include the recyclability of the printed material, which is made possible by using HP Latex water-based inks which have far less impact on the planet than other ink types. These inks are also odourless, making them a much more flexible option for Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral.
“The FS50W has opened doors to new business as we can now offer quicker turnaround times,” Ian and Louise said. “Projects that previously took us 10 days to complete can now be finished in just one day.
“We’re currently running wide-format wallpaper, outdoor and indoor signage and vehicle wrapping for vans. We are also looking at new ways to personalise our offerings to customers to help meet their specific requirements.”
Ian and Louise also spoke about the benefits of working with the HP Print OS, the print production operating system designed for use with HP printers. The duo said that this, coupled with the flexibility and print qualities of the new machine, will open up more opportunities in the long run.
“While in the past we used a whiteboard, we’ve now installed a big screen on the wall in the production floor, with print jobs going onto the screen automatically and updated through HP Print OS,” they said. “It also helps that files remain the same quality when sending to customers located outside the UK, with HP Print OS maintaining the quality of sent files.”
