Beta Customers for the HP Indigo 20000
HP announced new features for the HP Indigo WS6600 Digital Press, a high-speed digital solution for medium-run label and packaging printing at Labelexpo Americas 2012.
It also confirmed three beta customers for the 762mm (30-inch) HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press, including the first in the United States, and showcased its recently expanded portfolio of end-to-end solutions for label and packaging production.
It added said that since Labelexpo 2011, 12 of the top 15 label converters worldwide use HP Indigo’s high-quality technology, contributing to an increase in print volume of close to 50 per cent on the HP Indigo WS6000 and WS6600 presses.
“Our customers report that the HP Indigo WS6600 has made a significant difference in their operations, dramatically extending the break-even point with run-lengths exceeding 10,000 metres,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo Division, Graphics Solutions Business, HP. “Now, with the larger formats and higher productivity of our new systems, PSPs can further expand their businesses to penetrate new markets.”
At Labelexpo, HP showcased the HP Indigo WS6600 Digital Press with the Enhanced Productivity Mode and optional Inline Priming (ILP) unit for increased productivity and flexibility. New features for the HP Indigo WS6600 include an additional primer for the press’s ILP Unit and a SecurePack System that help expand the press’s range of applications.
With the ILP Unit, converters can run the same standard, non-treated media used in conventional production on the HP Indigo press with no off-line substrate preparation.
Michelman, a global developer of water-based barriers and coatings for flexible film packaging, paperboard, and corrugated cartons, has released a new primer for the press’s ILP unit. The Michem ILP040 primer extends the ILP’s media compatibility from paper-based substrates to synthetic media, allowing the WS6600 to support a broader range of applications and offers customers improved total cost of ownership. The ILP and the Michem ILP040 primer are backwards compatible with the HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press.
HP also featured its dedicated solutions for pharmaceutical and security label and packaging production, including use of micro-text as small as 0.4pt, security elements such as HP Electroink UV Red, and robust variable data capabilities. The company demonstrated its new SecurePack System, a complete toolbox for automated production of pharmaceutical and security applications creating controlled and monitored environment to match the pharmaceutical production cGMP. The system is currently in beta testing and will be available for HP Indigo WS6000 and WS6600 users worldwide later this year.
The HP Indigo WS6600 also features an Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM) designed to increase press throughput by 33 per cent, from 30 linear metres (98 linear feet) per minute in four-colour mode to 40 linear metres (131 linear feet).
New HP Indigo 20000 for Flexible Packaging
The first U.S. beta site for the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press will be Ohio-based Innovative Labeling Solutions (ILS), an award-winning label and package print specialist. HP commented that the larger format of the HP Indigo 20000 will make it possible for ILS to pursue new applications and market opportunities.
“Our HP Indigo WS6000 series give us the speed and quality that have helped our company grow,” said Jay Dollries, owner, Innovative Labeling Solutions. “And with the new HP Indigo 20000, we’ll be able to offer a more robust solution to our clients for flexible packaging.”
Additional beta customers include U.S.-based Belmark and UK-based Shere Print, the digital arm of flexography packaging printer Ultimate Packaging.
The recently announced HP Indigo 20000 is a roll-to-roll digital press, designed primarily for flexible packaging and is scheduled for commercial availability in late 2013. It boasts a 76.2 cm (30-inch) wide media width, up to 1.1 m (44-inch) repeat length and printing speed of 45 linear meters (147.6 linear feet) per minute in EPM. Converters benefit from gravure-matching print quality and up to seven colour printing, including white ink, to match brand colours. An on-press Inline Priming Unit handles most standard flexible packaging materials from 10 to 250 microns thick.
HP also recently announced the HP Indigo 30000 Digital Press for folding carton production. Offering a 750 x 530-mm (29.5 x 20.9-inch) format size compatible with carton stocks up to 600 microns thick, the press can run 4,600 sheets per hour in EPM and 3,450 sheets per hour in four-colour mode. The HP Indigo 30000 Digital Press is scheduled for commercial availability in late 2013.
Additional information on HP digital printing solutions for labels and packaging is available at http://www.hp.com/go/labelsandpackaging
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