PALO ALTO, Calif., December 1, 2005—HP today announced that State Publishing & Printing, a 123-year-old commercial printing firm in Pierre, South Dakota, is using the variable data power and offset-color quality of the HP Indigo press 3050 to transform the way businesses in the region reach their customers. The versatile digital color press, installed in February 2005, is one of two HP Indigo press 3050s in the state, according to Tom Roberts, president and owner of State Publishing & Printing. The HP Indigo press enables the company to provide proactive marketing solutions that boost revenues and enhance customer loyalty. “What we're learning is that we're now a marketing firm versus a printing company,” said Roberts, the fourth generation of his family to run State Publishing. “As a commercial offset printer, we'll print whatever the customer wants. But as a digital printer, we're helping to create the market and create the piece – working with our clients from beginning to end in the one-to-one marketing concept.” Benefits of the HP Indigo press 3050 – such as dramatically reduced turnaround, seamless job changes and up to seven-color printing – have all been a major advantage in helping State Publishing sell variable data. The press also saves State Publishing $600 in normal set-up costs for a short-run job, making it profitable to run a thousand sheets or less, and provide a more affordable offering for its customers. Bringing best of breed printing capabilities to local businesses Recently, State Publishing & Printing won a bid from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for a series of personalized direct-mail postcards mailed to prospective students. The company is also using its HP Indigo press 3050 to print high-end livestock auction catalogs that feature covers and copy tailored for buyers of specific cattle breeds. “It's a very unique method for customers who aren't used to having the ability to do this type of marketing at a reasonable cost,” Roberts said. “We want to make it possible for any businessperson to do one-to-one marketing.” Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo Division, HP, said “Digital printing and the tremendous advantages of one-to-one communication are bringing new opportunities to printing firms and their clients. It is always rewarding when companies like State Publishing, which has deep roots in the community, embrace the full potential of HP Indigo digital printing to be the vanguard in delivering maximum value to their local markets.” The HP Indigo press 3050 is a top-of-the-line 7-color digital press that delivers rich offset quality, reaching 4,000 four-color 8.5" x 11"/A4 single sided pages-per-hour (two-up) or 16,000 single-color 8.5" x 11" pages-per-hour (two-up). The press employs unique liquid HP ElectroInk, delivering offset quality not possible with dry toner technology.