Gent (Belgium) - June 2005 - Esko-Graphics and HP have announced that they are offering a combined solution featuring the Esko-Graphics FlexRip and HP Indigo digital label printing presses, resulting in a unique optimized workflow which enables higher quality, consistency and productivity, and creates new applications for label printers. A key component of Esko-Graphics Scope workflow environment, FlexRip is a multi-purpose RIP and quality control tool offering a variety of output formats and driving a wide range of output devices. It is workflow and device-independent and features ground-breaking screening technologies for a wide range of printing processes, including digital printing. FlexRip uses HP Indigo's SNAP personalization architecture to create jobs on the press. Riki Tzirin, Industrial Marketing Manager, HP Indigo, EMEA, comments: "HP Indigo digital presses offer state-of-the-art technology and with HP Partners provide complete end-to-end solutions for printing labels, shrink-sleeves and flexible packaging. HP is rapidly expanding its market share in commercial and industrial printing, and this cooperation with Esko-Graphics will offer our customers a powerful workflow solution that enhances quality and increases productivity." Kaleidoscope, FlexRip's device-independent color engine, is an unmatched tool for superior color accuracy. It excels in color management of special colors such as Pantone and house colors. Kaleidoscope color management combines CMYK (colorimetric) profiles with patented special color (spectra) profiles. For HP customers, Kaleidoscope ensures a fully automated conversion to the HP Indigo press color space and an exact color matching of most special colors produced with the 6-color HP IndiChrome system or other special inks on the HP label presses. Using the Esko-Graphics Scope workflow solution, a customer can decide when the job is ready whether to send his files to a flexo or digital output devices, without the need to change or edit the files as the workflow stays the same. For repeat jobs no prepress operator intervention is needed as ripped data are retrieved from the archive, which dramatically reduces make-ready costs. Furthermore the workflow solution is machine-independent and offers a high level of flexibility, allowing the operator not only to manage their HPI press, but the entire output machine park, offering substantial growth opportunities. Customers report increased efficiency and productivity "With the installation of the HP Indigo press ws4050, our requirement was for digital files to be printed with minimum manipulation and to allow effective color management. Having considered several options Kaleidoscope from Esko-Graphics has enabled us to achieve a streamline digital workflow that has proved to be a perfect partnership with the HP Digital Press," reports David Manning, Repro Studio Manager at Paragon Print & Packaging Ltd. "Esko-Graphics Scope workflow has increased our productivity and dramatically decreased our processing time. Our standardization has advanced to such a level we are now able to match HP Indigo digital printing with conventional printing techniques. We now have a tool that gives us full confidence in future developments." comments Hans Poortinga, Printing Specialist & Prepress coordinator at Eshuis, The Netherlands. "Esko-Graphics Scope workflow solution is the recognized leading professional system for the labeling and packaging industry which adds important value to digital print processes. We anticipate a fast growth of digital printing for industrial applications, which are supported by our software with the most advanced tools." concludes Jan De Roeck, Marketing Director Packaging Software at Esko-Graphics.