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Size meets versatility
The HP Scitex XL2200 uses dedicated environmentally-friendly UV-curable HP Scitex UV221 Supreme inks
With more people taking the digital route, plus growth of the outdoor advertising market, superwide format digital printers are increasingly becoming a strategic investment. Regional sales manager, Europe North EFI Vutek, Emmanuel Swolfs, said: "We believe the future for superwide format, throughout 2008 and beyond, looks positive for the UK market. Healthy growth is being fuelled by the ever-rapid transition to digital. No longer viewed a risky market, more and more people are entering this mature marketplace, particularly as we see costs per square metre decreasing as a result of dropping ink prices and ever-increasing production speeds.
"Greater competition in the sector means that, in 2008, players in this arena will need to focus on continuously developing creative and unique solutions and applications, enabled by digital and UV technology advancements. Developing truly innovative and niche applications will help ensure manufacturers avoid ruthless price wars, letting them differentiate themselves and maintain competitive advantage. They must also ensure they focus on applications where margins are sufficient for investment in new machines, helping them keep pace with the fast rate of technological development.
"We will continue to see out-of-home advertising and display graphics take off in 2008 and predict a greater level of workflow adoption and significant superwide functionality. Increasing capability to print on a variety of substrates will help fuel high value growth in the superwide market.
"Environmental concerns continue to be a key issue for print manufacturers in 2008, as pressure from government bodies, corporate social responsibility departments and customers is mounting to produce output in an increasingly environmentally-friendly way. This is especially true of the UK market, which is intent on riding the green wave, demanding green solutions, more so than other European countries. To this end, we are witnessing growing UK demand for ecological solutions in the superwide market, including biologically-friendly inks, UV rather than solvent inks, recyclable media and the elimination of vinyl in favour of the more environmentally-friendly polypropylene and polyethyline.
"Additionally, though new and niche applications will play a crucial role in stimulating market growth, faster output speeds remain a key focal point. However, it's important to be mindful that although speed is an important consideration, maintaining and improving quality is vital and should, without question, be a core aim. By making machines that produce better quality results, companies can avoid becoming embroiled in price wars and selling equipment that, within months, is obsolete because others in the market have focussed on the single dimension of speed and sacrificed quality. Though the overall outlook for the UK's superwide digital market looks positive for 2008, businesses cannot afford to sacrifice quality if they are to achieve any level of success in this arena."
New technology
One company which guarantees you will not have to sacrifice quality is HP which unveiled its new large format industrial digital printing solutions at SGIA in October. One of its latest advancements was the HP Scitex XL2200 superwide format industrial printer featuring the new HP Scitex X2 printhead technology.
Vice president and general manager, Large Format Printing Industrial Solutions, HP Imaging and Printing Group, Yariv Avisar, said: "As part of our overall imaging and printing strategy, we are committed to delivering new products and technologies that help our customers build their digital difference throughout the commercial and industrial graphic markets. With HP's latest graphic arts solutions, we are further strengthening our position as the one-stop-shop for all large format printing solutions and helping customers capture success by offering greater flexibility, durability and confidence to extend their application range and thus better service their customers than ever before."
The XL2200 builds on HP's success in roll-to-roll printing and is a top line digital UV system which promises to maximise speed and cost effectiveness for end-users.
Capable of printing 400m2/hr in two-pass mode, and designed for 24/7 productivity with minimal operator intervention, the XL2200 printer is one of the most productive digital solutions making it perfect for billboards, building wraps and quality outdoor signage.
With this machine HP Scitex has shown it is also taking environmental concerns seriously as it forms the basis of a new UV printer series offering print service providers a UV technology growth path to meet their evolving customer needs. The printer uses dedicated environmentally-friendly UV-curable HP Scitex UV221 Supreme inks which provide two-year outdoor durability. To further cement their environmental credentials the new water and abrasion-resistant UV inks cure with light exposure and do not require large drying systems.
The XL2200 features the new HP Scitex X2 printhead, which combines proven silicon-based micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology utilised in semiconductor manufacturing and innovative piezoelectric inkjet technology from HP. The horizontal printhead carriage includes 128 unique HP Scitex X2 drop-on-demand piezoelectric inkjet printheads to maximise speed and efficiency.
This is a great machine for those looking for flexibility and coming from the HP Scitex stable means it is a machine you can rely on.
Inspirational print
Another machine new to the market late 2007 was the NUR Expedio Inspiration, a quality, high-productivity 3.2m, UV roll-to-roll wide format printer with flatbed option. The machine comes with a long list of benefits including resolution up to 800 by 635dpi and print speed up to 1,200ft2/hr.
One problem with outdoor advertising has always been maintaining the print quality, however this machine's superior quality four and eight colour printing modes means such concerns are a thing of the past so expect to see high quality indoor and outdoor applications.
The environmental angle has also been covered with the lack of solvent emissions, while compatibility with a wide range of flexible and rigid substrates means the versatility box has also been ticked. A flatbed module option completes the line-up, allowing the machine to print directly onto rigid materials.
Moving up in size, NUR also boast the Expedio Revolution which is its 5m production printer offering speeds of up to 3,200ft2/hr. This lets print houses produce and sell more jobs faster, offering billboard and point-of-purchase high-quality printing modes and an optional double-sided printing kit for maximum versatility.
And finally
The move by just about every industry to meet the environmental targets set down by the Government is one which the printing industry is now starting to take seriously. With every new development in this market we are starting to hear more about the environmental benefits of a machine and how the end-user will be playing their part by buying this machine.
This is great that we are now starting to take it seriously but don't let that be the only reason that you buy a machine. There are plenty of choices and options which you need to consider before parting with your hard earned cash and as I have said many times before it makes sense to try before you buy.
That said if you have the choice between two machines then do go for the one with the environmental benefits very soon we can expect the Government to get tough so it makes sense to be ahead of the game.
