Hardware - Wide Format Print

Image Access Announces Distribution Agreement with Allied Images Ltd. for the United Kingdom

Image Access, a leading manufacturer of scanning technologies, has entered into an agreement with Allied Images, a large format scanning and printing solutions distributor providing a high level of quality products and services throughout the UK.  Allied Images will promote and distribute the complete range of Image Access wide format scanners for professional applications in the UK.

The WideTEK scanner family from Image Access includes sheet feed scanners for documents up to 48 inches in width, flatbed scanners for formats up to DIN A2 as well as wide format duplex scanners for double-sided printed documents up to 36 inches in width. Known as “the fastest scanners in the world” (Bertl), the WideTEK scanners process architectural and construction drawings, maps, newspapers and posters fast and efficiently. Even when the source document is transparent or fragile, WideTEK scanners deliver high-contrast output in optimized, accurate color. The uncompromising scanning speed and quality, simple operation and the network compatibility make the devices the ideal solution for various applications in a wide range of markets: cartography, topography, reprographics, architectural, engineering and construction offices, libraries, copy services as well as press clipping services.

“Our product range provides an optimal synergy with the existing scanner assortment of Allied Images” said Thomas Ingendoh, President and CEO of Image Access. The company is highly experienced in distributing wide format imaging equipment and services. Through this cooperative effort, Image Access gains a powerful and competent partner for the distribution of our scanner family in the UK. We look forward to working with Allied Images and are confident to gain aggressive market shares in the near future“,

For over 20 years, Allied Images has been a leading supplier of wide format scanning and printing equipment, with clients in engineering, architecture, construction, manufacturing, advertising, reprographics and document management, as well as numerous public agencies at all levels of local and central government. Well established imaging products, utility software, document management solutions as well as service, training and support throughout the UK make up the broad sales portfolio of Allied Images.

The industry is buzzing about the new HP Designjet L25500 42" and 60" wide latex ink printers, and LFR are delighted to bring you the first ever case study, from tot.rètol, the Barcelona based printer that ran ran the new latexx Designjet as part of the HP beta-testing program.

 

The year 2009 marked twenty years of business for tot.rètol, a sign printing shop based in Igualada, outside Barcelona in Spain. Joan Torrents, General Manager and owner, has successfully exploited his business experience and know-how as a printing professional to steer tot. rètol through the economic downturn that came with the credit crisis, perhaps the most challenging period since tot.rètol started business in 1989. tot.rètol use “hard” solvent printing technology, a term commonly used among printing business professionals to distinguish it from eco-solvent printing technology. They print on PVC, banner and transparent vinyl for tradeshows banners, point of sale displays and outdoor store signs.

Eliminating outsourcing to double profit margins

Joan Torrents describes the business scenario that drove them to explore alternative printing technology to solvent-ink printing. “tot.rètol until recently was a solvent-only technology sign making business. Our solvent printers were adequate for our standard signage orders but customer orders sometimes include a portion of prints demanding higher quality. To ensure a single supplier solution and achieve greater customer loyalty we satisfied all their needs by outsourcing what we couldn’t print on solvent. The problem is our profit margins were halved when we outsourced. The second problem is that reduced profit margins meant we could not compete for jobs that demanded only, or principally, high image quality. Also, turnaround times can double with outsourcing, excluding tot.rètol from competing for business with tight deadlines,” states Joan, concluding, ”The economic crisis meant print volumes from core solvent-ink applications were down 40%. The HP Designjet L25500 Printer has allowed us to expand our applications and products and still serve our core business for robust, durable output. We are seeing our printing volumes grow strongly and we believe we can still do much more.”

Making new profits

Joan Torrents explains how the HP Designjet L25500 Printer allowed tot.rètol to successfully compete for new business. “We recently bid for a high image quality job that demanded 150 sq meters (492 sq ft) of in-store signage up to 2 x 4 m (6.6 x 13.1 ft) on vinyl. The viewing distance was short so our solvent printer was not an option due to the low image quality it offers and possible banding. It was an important opportunity as the job was for an advertising agency - an ideal customer in terms of return business. By using the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, as opposed to outsourcing, we were able to make an extremely competitive offer to acquire the new agency as a customer and still make a profit. Delivery time was halved from 6 days to 3 by printing in-house. Without in-house printing it is very unlikely that we could have beaten the competition to win the job. The customer was satisfied with our printing service and we have become their first choice supplier,” Joan states.

Versatility offers more sellable applications

Joan believes printed output with a lower environmental impact will give them an extra competitive edge for certain applications. “Printed output using solvent inks may be perceived as unsuitable in certain types of activities, particularly those widely used by the public. The health service sector, restaurants, fresh food stores or kids’ toy shops are a few examples where environmental health and safety are of paramount importance. Printed displays in these “sensitive” environments represent an ideal application for Latex output from the HP Designjet L25500.”

HP Latex Printing Technology represents a no-compromise alternative over tot.rètol’s solvent ink technology. “A regular client requested some attractive 60 x 60 sq cm (23 x 23 sq in) coffee table tops for their outdoor terrace bar. Output needed to be tough and weather resistant. In the past we would have used our solvent printer and then laminated the output. We printed the job on white vinyl at a higher quality and more quickly on our new HP Latex printer and laminated output to avoid scratching,” Joan says delightedly.

Innovation without complication

As a new, unfamiliar technology to tot.rètol, any initial concerns they had about its implementation were soon dispelled. “Our operator has lots of experience with large format solvent and the HP Designjet L25500 Printer was extremely easy to manage in comparison. It was very, very easy to learn without any special training. Media loading is easy even on your own. It is very clean and maintenance is automated. The printer adopts convenient, user-replaceable cartridges instead of the bottles and tubes used for solvent. You have to be careful not to leave marks with solvent,” Joan says, adding, “The print speed is great and prints are dry when they come off the printer so you can finish and laminate immediately. Ink usage is more efficient than solvent – up to 30% less per square meter. To avoid clogging, solvent technology has bigger printheads and regular cleaning and purging is required. Solvent ink is not absorbed so well on certain types of media. We’ve noticed poor adhesion on Backlit media so ink can run and print results are less reliable,” Joan claims. The embedded spectrophotometer and advanced close loop color calibration are highly appreciated. “You get reliable results on any media you need to use. Automatic color calibration and creation of ICC profiles is easy,” Joan adds, concluding, “Although this technology was new to us, HP is a prestigious brand with reliable, quality products and HP has offered us a qualified and professional post sales service whenever we have needed it. That gives you peace of mind.”

Challenges:

• Grow printing business by offering new products and applications while continuing to supply the robust output demanded for its core business applications
• Eliminate outsourcing to save 2-3,000 Euro/ month and increase profit margins by 50%
• Offer printed output with lower environmental impact in “sensitive” environments

Solutions:

• HP Designjet L25500 Printer using HP Latex Inks and HP Embedded Spectrophotometer with Advanced Close Loop Colour Calibration

Results:

• Versatility from single printing solution to successfully compete for higher image quality business to grow revenue streams while still serving established customer demands
• Profit margins on outsourced printing increased by 50% by bringing printing in-house
• Increased customer satisfaction, faster turnaround and higher quality signage
• Sell HP Latex printed output for “sensitive” environment applications such as health service sector, restaurants, fresh food stores or kids’ toy shops

 

London-based City & West End Solutions (CWES) have launched their new website, and announce Demo Days on the new HP Designjet L25500 latex printer.

CWES are 'the No.1 HP large-format reseller', qualifying them for the prestigious HP Gold Preferred Partner programme. This is a status reserved for only the best performing HP large format resellers.

The new CWES website features a number of business tools, including their HP Profit Calculator - interactive tools that accurately illustrate the typical profit levels that can be achieved with an HP printer.

The Profit Calculator covers all models from Designjet Z6100 through to the Designjet L65500 latex, and the full range of HP commercial UV flatbeds. Calculators for the the latest HP L25500 42" and 60" latex printers will also be added imminently.

In terms of these new HP latex machines, CWES are also pleased to announce Demo-Days, which can be booked online now on their new website.

Why book your HP DesignJet L25500 Demo with CWES?

• CWES are the HP Reseller with the most Latex experience in the UK as we have installed more HP Designjet L65500's than anyone else.
• CWES are the ONLY HP Reseller in the UK with HP technically trained engineers.
• CWES are the first HP Gold Preferred Partner to have the L25500 for in-house demo in the UK.

Key Features / Benefits of the new HP Designjet L25500:

• User-replaceable printheads - Less intervention for changing printheads avoids delays and improves your turnaround time.
• Included take-up reel - Print unattended runs overnight on long media rolls with the media take-up reel.
• Dry right out of the printer - Improve your turnaround time with prints that are dry and ready immediately
• Media sensor & drop detector - Achieve high image quality & consistency with the optical media sensor & drop detector.
• HP double swath technology - Staggered printheads resulting in twice the performance of earlier Designjet models.
• Embedded web server - Control print settings and monitor ink and media usage via the embedded Web server.
• HP latex inks - Produce outdoor signage with durability comparable to eco-solvent inks.
• Wide range of media - Including coated media or polyester fabric and low-cost papers without treatments.

CWES recommends the HP Designjet L25500 as an environmentally-friendly inkjet printer

• Water-based HP Latex Inks - no hazard warning labels, no HAPs
• No special ventilation required
• Prints odourless signs
• Range of recyclable HP media available, with take-back program
• ENERGY STAR qualified
• Click here for CWES Environmental Policy

To find out more, book a demonstration and access the CWES Profit Calculator tools, visit their new website at http://www.cwesolutions.co.uk

Be one of the first to see the new HP Designjet L25500 in action, at an i-Sub Digital Open Day.

Open Days will be scheduled throughout October and November 2009, where you can see the new HP Designjet L25500 latex printer being put through its paces.

With limited places available, and high demand expected, users are being encouraged to book quickly by calling i-Sub Digital on Tel: 01536 415511 or by email to openday@i-subdigital.com to discuss available venues, dates and times.

HP Designjet L25500 latex printers, from iSub Digital...

The new benchmark has been set: The HP Designjet L25500 sets a whole new benchmark for the wide format print professional. Durable high quality output, printed with the environment in mind, using HP latex ink technology that is cleaner and greener.
The quality you expect from an HP: Vibrant colour at 1200dpi display print quality, with output that is instantly dry off the printer, for greater productivity and profit potential.
Outdoor durability without the compromise: Signage and even vehicle wraps, with print durability that is comparable to eco-solvent printers, without any of the environmental concerns associated with solvent inks.
 
Also Showing - HP Designjet L65000

Attend one of our Open Days and you'll also have the opportunity to see the HP Designjet L65500 commercial latex printer in action.

To book your place...

Open Day places can be booked by calling i-Sub Digital on Tel: 01536 415511 or contact them by email at openday@i-subdigital.com

You can also visit the i-Sub Digital website at www.i-subdigital.com

Supporting Xaar's theme, 'Think Digital, Think Inkjet, Think Xaar', Xaar partners at SGIA will be demonstrating the breadth of printers utilizing Xaar printheads, from wide-format to specialty presses, including introductions from Real Plotter.

On SGIA booth 145, Real Plotter, manufacturers of Vermillion digital printers in Latin America, is introducing its new Proton Vermillion solvent printer, built in Brazil. The Vermillion PROTON can print exceptional continuous-tone images on a wide variety of substrates with vibrant, durable colours for indoor or outdoor use. Equipped with Xaar Proton printheads, the easy to use Proton Vermillion prints up to 1440 dpi at a speed of 200 sqft/hr.

The highly productive Xaar Proton printhead is a wide, high-resolution binary printhead, producing outstanding print quality rapidly and consistently. Its 35-picoliter drop ensures sufficient resolution for high-quality signs and graphics, and its wide, 2.1-inch swathe, delivers high-speed multi-pass printing. End users appreciate its speed and excellent print performance. Printer manufacturers report that the Xaar Proton is easy to integrate and reduces setup times. The printheads can adjust to various speeds, delivering lower ink consumption without sacrificing colour saturation.

Other Xaar partners demonstrating digital printers with Xaar printheads at SGIA include:

* Teckwin International (booth 2067) utilises the Xaar 760 printhead in its TeckStorm UV Printer. The TeckStorm is primarily used for POP displays, durable graphics and billboard banners, where versatility is very important. The Teckwin8000 Series ink used in the Teckwin TeckStorm flatbed digital printer is approved by Xaar.

"Evident at SGIA is the wide variety of manufacturers that design their printers with Xaar printheads, from wideformat to specialty pad printers," said Chris Lynn, vice president sales and marketing, Xaar Americas, Inc. "The assortment of printheads from Xaar allows manufacturers to select from binary, grayscale, and different speeds, resolutions and drop sizes to fit their specific requirements."

 

The Viscom Dusseldorf exhibition (1-3 October) saw the first public showing of the the new HP Designjet L25500 latex printers, on the HP stand (Hall 8a, booth G20).

These eagerly awaited printers, available in both 42" (1065mm) and 60" (1525mm) widths, are expected to bring many of the benefits of the larger L65500 latex printer, released at what we fully expect to be a more affordable and broadly accessible pricepoint.

A hugely interesting product, not least because, if priced correctly, it could see significant numbers of existing large format solvent inkjet users making the move over to what is claimed to be a significantly cleaner and greener print process.

Not since the launch of the Designjet 5000 have HP made such a relevant and timely product launch. Many industry-watchers consider the 5000-series as the printer that cemented HPs' position as a force in the wide format print marketplace, more importantly it was arguably the printer that finally saw them wrestle market leadership away from the then dominant Encad Novajet.

In the time since then, HP have made further inroads at the commercial end of the display print market, through acquisition of industry innovators such as NUR and Scitex.

Whilst those acquisitions were at the volume-production end of the market, this new product launch is perhaps the machine that will capture the imagination of the mainstream sign and display print industry, and we'll possibly see HP repeating the successes of the Designjet 5000.

We feel sure that many senior figures at HP will indeed be hoping to see history repeat itself in this manner, as it hasn't all gone their way, particularly in the sign market where their lack of a viable in-house solvent print solution (forget the rebadged Seikos', when compared to the success of their aqueous printers the Seiko relationship bore little fruit), allowed Roland, Mimaki, and to a lesser extent here in the UK, Mutoh, to outsell HP by significant numbers.

The L25500 printers themselves will allow for outdoor and indoor application versatility with print-quality and display permanence comparable to low-solvent printers, whilst reducing the impact of printing on the environment. This allows owners to create an improved printing environment for their employees, whilst targeting the business of environmentally conscious customers.

As said, HP are without doubt dominant in the affordable wide format aqueous printer market, and through acquisition have much to offer at the high end, but they need this affordable latex ink solution to bridge that gap, in so doing HP could then have the all-encompassing and genuinely viable cradle-to-the-grave wide format product portfolio that they need.

If the Designjet L25500 can delivers all that it provisionally promises, can print at production speeds, and the price is attractive enough to make it a viable alternative to the current solvent-based offerings from other manufacturers, then we'd fully expect to see HP picking up a number of important resellers, and maybe, just maybe, they will have a real success on their hands.

Click here for the latest News from the official HP L25500 launch at Viscom Dusseldorf, including pricing and availability.

You can also read the Official HP L25500 Press Release right here on LFR by clicking here.