The HP Designjet L25500 Printer – the best-selling large-format printer in its class,(1) is helping leading sign franchises grow as they transition from solvent ink printing to HP's water-based Latex Inks.

"We are honored to have the support of some of the world's most progressive signage businesses," said Jan Riecher, vice president and general manager, Graphics Solutions Business – Americas, HP. "With the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, these customers get the best of both worlds – versatility and durability comparable to eco-solvent printing, and the advantages of water-based HP Latex Inks."

A consultative approach to growth

SIGNARAMA, one of the world's largest sign shop franchisors with approximately 800 locations in 50 countries, has made the HP Designjet L25500 Printer a standard part of its start-up franchisee package. SIGNARAMA shops benefit from the value, flexibility and eco-solvent-level quality the printer offers, as well as from HP's consultative approach to helping its customers.

"HP works hard to listen to its customers and produces products that meet or exceed these needs," said Dan Bonner, supplier relations manager, SIGNARAMA. "The HP Designjet L25500 Printer enables our franchisees to offer a product that helps reduce the impact on the environment at the same pricing as solvent ink printing, on a wider variety of media."

In addition to the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, SIGNARAMA recommends the HP Scitex FB500 Printer to its franchisees for maximum application versatility on rigid and flexible media. Because the HP Scitex FB500 Printer has folding tables that store easily when not in use and a belt-driven system, the model easily fits in store locations. The HP Scitex FB500 Printer also loads up to four sheets of media quickly without the need for masking thanks to an automatic alignment bar and onboard camera.

HP's strong alternative to eco-solvent-ink printing

In 2010, Signs Now, a division of Allegra Network LLC and a franchisor with nearly 200 locations, standardized its new center package to include the 60-inch HP Designjet L25500 Printer because of the advantages it offers compared to competing solvent-ink devices. The company sought an HP Latex Ink device because it did not want franchise members to have to face the effects of long-term exposure to hazardous air pollutants.(2) Plus, Signs Now franchisees benefit from the printer's quick-turnaround capabilities: prints come off the HP Designjet L25500 Printer dry and ready for lamination, packaging, shipping and display.

The wide variety of media compatible with the HP Designjet L25500 Printer also allows franchisees to expand their offerings with substrates such as untreated textiles and thin paper media.

"Of all the HP products that we have evaluated and recommended to our franchise members, the HP Designjet L25500 Printer is by far the most important," said Lee Manevitch, technical support director, Signs Now. "This technology has changed the industry. The excellent print quality and immediate curing our franchisees get with the HP Designjet L25500 Printer enables them to go after customers they may have shied away from when using older print technologies."

"Ease-of-use, quality and durability"

Signs By Tomorrow, which has HP large-format printers in more than 60-percent of its 165 locations, was an early adopter of HP's first HP Latex Ink solution.

Last year, franchise locations began installing the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, a move that helped the franchise accelerate its transition away from solvent printing technologies. Signs By Tomorrow found the HP Designjet L25500 Printer to be more user-serviceable than solvent technologies, and the company's franchisees have discovered that the HP Latex Ink printers can offer lower operating costs over the life of the printer compared to solvent technologies.

"The volatile organic compounds in solvent inks make it dangerous for employees, so Latex Inks are a big influence in Signs By Tomorrow's adoption of Latex Ink technology," said Andrew Akers, vice president of operations, Signs By Tomorrow. "The HP Designjet L25500 Printer's ease-of-use, quality and durability solved the problems we had with solvent technology."

Available in 42- and 60-inch models, the HP Designjet L25500 Printer offers print service providers broad application versatility with quality and durability comparable to eco-solvent devices, while reducing the impact of printing on the environment. The printer's HP Latex Inks produce odorless(4) prints, are non-flammable and non-combustible(5) and contain no hazardous air pollutants.(2)

More information about HP Designjet Printers is available at www.hp.com/go/gsb, www.youtube.com/hpgraphicarts, or at the HP Graphic Arts Twitter feed.