PALO ALTO, Calif., December 13, 2005—HP today announced that Labels West, Inc., in Woodinville, Washington, a nationally prominent manufacturer of exceptional labels, has installed the HP Indigo press ws4050 to assure streamlined production of short-run versioned jobs in brilliantly accurate color. “We’re heavily involved in the latest technologies pertaining to color work and high-quality reproduction, which is one reason the HP Indigo press ws4050 is such a good fit for us,” said John Shanley, president of Labels West. “The press is comparable to offset quality, and that really is the key.” Founded in 1978, Labels West specializes in providing custom labels and other specialty printing products to a complete range of retail industries, including personal care, cosmetics, nutriceuticals, and food and wine. With clients that include Nintendo, Microsoft, Estée Lauder, and Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington’s oldest and most acclaimed winery, the company’s commitment to providing superior quality extends from initial customer contact through to finished job. “Labels West and other high-end converters are realizing the benefits of HP’s advanced digital color technology by using the HP Indigo ws4050 to print short to medium runs of all types of labels, on practically any substrate,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo Division, HP. “It’s the best tool in the marketplace to enhance productivity and realize new business opportunities in label production.” Installed at the 20,000-square-foot Labels West facility last summer and linked with an offline Rotoflex Vericut finishing unit from HP partner Rotoflex International, the HP Indigo press ws4050 has already completed multiple-lot, four-color jobs for a large West Coast nutriceutical firm. Over the next few months Shanley plans to introduce other major customers to HP’s digital advantage, and by next year expects to have the digital press running two shifts a day and producing up to ten percent of the company’s total output. Ongoing regulatory changes in the nutriceuticals market result in frequent label adjustments that are efficiently produced on demand with the HP Indigo press ws4050. Plus, the press’s variable-data capabilities allow for required consecutive numbering and barcoding. The HP Indigo press ws4050 also meets the specific needs of cosmetics industry clients who require versioning capabilities and as well as the ability to match to dozens of new color product shades. Designed for maximum cost-efficiency and ease of use, the HP Indigo press ws4050 is fully compatible with inline and offline finishing options from leading manufacturers and features an expanded substrate capacity that includes even the thinnest conductive shrink-sleeve films.