Palo Alto, Calif. – Unrelenting demand for multiple stock keeping units (SKUs) allowed label converter Dow Industries to install an HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press and immediately fill it with jobs previously printed at a higher cost on the company's analog flexographic presses. 

The six-color label and packaging press, which is designed to be more cost-effective than analog printing on up to 80-percent of the label jobs converters typically produce,  addresses a continuing trend at the Wilmington, Mass.-based firm.

"The real thrust behind digital is our customers' increasing need to provide a greater number of SKUs, which is why we've brought in our fourth HP Indigo press with the new WS6000," said Walter Dow, chief executive officer and owner, Dow Industries. "The press's higher volumes let more of our customers gain the advantages HP Indigo digital technology brings – from its ability to reduce client inventory needs, to its superior image quality."

Dow Industries produces most of its work on film, and the improved white HP ElectroInk used on the HP Indigo WS6000 is an important feature for high-quality full-color digital printing on clear or metallic film substrates.

Tremendous opportunity for Dow's health and beauty clients
Now, more of the brands Dow Industries serves – including those in the the health and beauty industry – can use digital printing to pursue sales opportunities.

High-volume digital production on the HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press can make it affordable for these businesses to move even very long label runs for a specific product into multiple SKUs, with targeted designs that appeal to different geographies, ethnicities or more. When done strategically, this can result in a boost in overall product sales – making digital converting an essential growth strategy for both Dow Industries and the brand owners it serves.

Brand owners are starting to maximize the opportunity that digital provides. A job with 100 or more SKUs is not uncommon at Dow Industries, and some jobs have required nearly 700 SKUs.

'More value to the supply chain' with the help of HP Indigo technology
"The multi-SKU phenomenon is a key reason digital printing is driving a transformation in labels and package converting," said Jan Riecher, vice president and general manager, Graphics Solutions Business – Americas, HP. "Companies like Dow Industries are bringing more value to the supply chain with the high-volume productivity and tremendous production flexibility the HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press offers."  

The HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press prints up to 98 feet per minute in four-color mode, and is compatible with a broad range of media – from thinner flexible packaging substrates, to label and shrink sleeve media, to folding carton material. HP Indigo presses are the only digital label and packaging solutions that use true PANTONE-licensed spot-color inks or offer four-, six- and seven-color PANTONE-licensed spot color emulation, giving converters the ability to meet their customers' demanding brand color standards.

Fast growth with award-winning HP Indigo digital printing
Dow Industries, which also operates analog flexographic and rotary screen printing presses, has seen its fastest growth come with the help of HP Indigo digital printing. The company has been continually investing in and upgrading its HP Indigo capabilities since 1995. In 2007, Dow Industries became the first company to win a converting industry competition best in show award with a digitally printed label.

Dow Industries' current digital press lineup also includes an HP Indigo press s2000 and three HP Indigo press ws4000s. Alongside those purchases, the company has invested in a full complement of digital finishing equipment from Rotoflex and AB Graphic international.

HP Indigo digital presses are designed to help converters increase the number of jobs they print with tools that can reduce make-ready and shrink job changeover times. HP Indigo's high quality, productivity and flexibility have made it the industry's leading digital press brand, and one of the best-selling label and packaging press brands overall.

The HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press will be featured in HP booth 3225 at the PACK EXPO International tradeshow, held Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 at McCormick Place in Chicago.