Electric City Printing, a Consolidated Graphics, Inc. company based in Williamston, SC, recently installed an HP4600 digital press in order to facilitate a growing demand for the company’s printed race number capabilities. The new HP4600 will supplement output from the printer’s existing HP4050, which serves a similar function. Electric City is the world’s largest printer for competition media, providing entry packets, racing numbers, brochures, signage, and integrated technology to help facilitate major races and competitions throughout the world. 

“We had to look for additional equipment to service our growing clientele,” said Electric City President Mike Schmitz. “Electric City has been servicing the racing business for over 30 years, and we’ve committed ourselves to bringing our customers the newest technology, highest-quality equipment, and best-in-class service to meet their needs.”  

Schmitz possesses a solid understanding of the racing business, as he himself is a marathon runner, and is therefore able to ensure that his business provides top of the line capabilities to its race business clients. “The racing business is a highly-customized segment,” adds Schmitz. “By running in the events, I’m able to personally experience the result of the services we provide, and to bring better, more innovative solutions to our customers. The HP4600 is just one of the ways we’re doing that.” 

The new press will supplement the company’s existing HP4050 press, enabling Electric City to output nearly six million impressions per month in order to keep up with growing demand. The two presses will be used primarily to print race numbers on DuPont Tyvek, which requires specialized equipment to avoid melting the substrate. The digital press also helps service a growing demand for customization at events like the Disney Princess Race in Orlando, Florida, where runners can select a Disney princess, color, and name, all of which are printed onto the race number. Additional benefits of the new press include faster turnaround times and reduced cleanup and maintenance. 

Other races serviced by Electric City Printing include the Boston Marathon, New York Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Rock & Roll Marathon series, Houston Marathon, and the 2012 Olympic Marathon qualifier held in Houston, TX.