BARCELONA, Spain--Sept. 14, 2006-- HP today unveiled large-format printing technologies that offer commercial printers more choices and value when producing wide- and super-wide outdoor graphics. Announced at the 2006 HP Scitex Customer Event, the first major HP Scitex product launch since HP acquired Scitex Vision last November expands the industry's only postcard-to-billboard graphic arts portfolio. New product highlights include: * The HP Scitex TJ8500 printer, a new UV-based industrial wide-format digital printer that is one of the fastest printers of its kind and creates high-quality images that last up to two years outdoors; * The HP Scitex X2 Printhead, offering high-speed industrial inkjet printing with outstanding print quality; and * The HP Designjet 10000s Printer, which enables print service providers and sign shops to produce high-quality signage up to 104 inches/264 centimeters wide. Designed for applications ranging from in-store displays to billboards, the new offerings provide screen, offset and digital printers the ability to create high-speed, high-quality wide-format digital printing output with industry-leading durability. "HP is truly the one-stop shop for virtually all large-format printing solutions," said Enrique Lores, vice president and general manager, Inkjet Commercial Division, HP. "If customers are printing an indoor or outdoor graphic -- no matter the size, ink type or media preferences -- our portfolio offers the right digital solution for any wide- to super-wide need." Winning combination: A proven platform plus UV durability Based on the same platform as the proven HP Scitex TJ8300 industrial wide-format digital printer, the HP Scitex TJ8500 combines high throughput with cost-effective production, making it one of the fastest printers of its kind on the market. With its integrated curing system and use of HP Scitex UV850 Supreme UV-curable inks, the HP Scitex TJ8500 boasts a small footprint with big impact, printing high-quality images that last up to two years outdoors. The printer supports a wide range of media, which includes untreated materials such as offset and screen papers, as well as uncoated synthetic materials such as Tyvek(TM), Kovek and Yupo. Beta site customer Keith Ferrel, director of sales at Cactus Imaging in Sydney, Australia, said, "The HP Scitex TJ8500 immediately appealed to us with its exceptional speed and quality, stable print platform and utilization of UV inks, which will allow us to print on a variety of untreated and uncoated synthetic materials." X2: Printhead technology for future generations The HP Scitex X2 Printhead has been developed to increase the productivity, quality and reliability of the next generation of HP Scitex printers. Leveraging UV-curable inks, the HP Scitex X2 Printhead brings together silicon-based MEMS (MicroElectroMechanicalSystems) technology used in semiconductor manufacturing and innovative piezoelectric technology from HP. The result is a highly efficient and effective printhead that delivers the volume of ink flows needed for high-speed printing, with outstanding print quality from every drop. HP Scitex X2 Printheads will be featured in two future wide-format printers, the HP Scitex XL2200 and HP Scitex FB6500, which are expected be available in the first half of 2007. First HP Designjet printer to break 100 inches The HP Designjet 10000s Printer series offers customers in the super wide-format market low-solvent ink durability. Capable of producing long-lasting, high-quality signage up to 264 centimeters (104 inches) wide and printing 16.35 sqm/hr (176 sqft/hr), the printer produces super-wide format signs, banners, billboards, wall murals, and window and vehicle graphics with striking, vivid colors in resolutions up to 720 x 720 dpi. In addition, the HP Designjet 10000s Printer series offers a sophisticated media handling system, which enables dual-sided printing, dual-roll printing and printing on unlined mesh. These features, combined with six heavy-duty piezo printheads, come together for a highly productive and versatile super-wide format printer that can handle economical uncoated media for lower running costs and greater return on investment. "We can satisfy a greater range of customer demands for outdoor and indoor durable signage with the HP Designjet 10000s Printer," said Steve Farley, general manager of U.K.-based Electronic Printing Services Limited. "For the first time we can compete with screen printers both on price and durability." High value add-ons for existing HP Scitex solutions HP also introduced two high-value enhancements to improve the overall printing experience on existing HP Scitex equipment. The new HP Scitex Color Workflow Interactive Navigator is a comprehensive color management solution that maximizes output quality while ensuring consistent top-quality color reproduction across different HP Scitex printers, ink and media types and varying environmental conditions. Leveraging components from leading color management providers such as GretagMacBeth, now a subsidiary of X-rite Corp., this solution provides a critical advantage for commercial printers producing integrated marketing campaigns. Designed for maximum ease of use, HP Scitex Color Workflow Interactive Navigator includes all the tools, information and equipment required to achieve top-quality color matching for multiple HP Scitex printing systems. Allowing users to turn a traditionally manual job into a fully automated process, an Inline Laminator is planned to be available in 2007 for the HP Scitex FB6700 flatbed industrial digital press. The Inline Laminator is completely integrated in a single-system workflow including substrate loading all the way through finishing. This feature enhances productivity with print speeds up to 150 sqm/hr (1,614 sqft/hr) or 29 full-format sheets per hour. More information about these additions to HP's large-format printing portfolio is available in an online press kit at www.hp.com/go/thinkgrande.