PALO ALTO, Calif., January 17, 2007 -- HP today announced that Image Transform, a leading Des Moines, Iowa-based imaging and graphics company, has completed a series of upgrades to its facility, creating one of the most advanced digital super-wide-format production facilities in the region. By adding two new printers and upgrading another model, the company now operates three HP Scitex XL1500s, one that is two meters wide and two that are five meters wide, enhancing the company’s flexibility and versatility in service offerings. Image Transform is also switching to HP Supplies to increase overall print quality. “Truly dynamic and forward-thinking customers, such as Image Transform, select the most effective technology to create the best possible wide-format industrial production environments,” said Gal Barak, director and general manager, HP Scitex Americas. “Not only does Image Transform realize the benefits of the technology, the company is building solutions that incorporate the best possible combination for high-speed, high-quality output: HP Scitex printers and supplies.” Taking super-wide-format printing to the next level By upgrading from an HP Scitex XL1200 to the HP Scitex XL1500, Image Transform is able to boost its throughput by as much as 24 percent(1). The upgrade also enables Image Transform to improve the quality of its printing with a proprietary “multi-layer” HP screening algorithm software. With the algorithm, the HP Scitex XL1500 produces high-quality skin tones and solid colors that are superior to the output from competing machines. “The cost of the upgrade was a token expense when compared to what we’ve gained,” said Ron Cherkas, founder and owner of Image Transform. “It used to take us 4½ hours to print three billboards on the machine. After the upgrade, it takes only three hours. That translates to a whole shift of profitability per week.” To make the HP Scitex XL1500’s faster print times as effective and as profitable as possible, Image Transform is adopting a complete HP systems approach to its HP technology, switching from third-party supplies to HP Scitex XL300 Supreme inks. “With the dramatic improvement in speed, we could not afford to have the longer purge time and waste that occurred with third-party inks,” said Cherkas. “Plus, the higher ink density of HP Scitex XL300 Supreme improves the quality even though we are printing billboards in less time.” Productivity begets investment, and even more productivity A growing client base and the positive results from the first HP Scitex XL1500 led Image Transform to an ambitious new round of capital equipment investment. In 2006, the company installed its second five-meter HP Scitex XL1500, as well as a two-meter-wide HP Scitex XL1500. The second five-meter machine meets demand for more solvent-based billboard and signage work, while the two-meter printer accommodates a growing volume of dye-sublimation work in addition to solvent-based printing. The HP Scitex XL1500 offers high quality super-wide-format print in 2m, 3m and 5m widths. With maximum speeds of 1,333 sqft/hr at resolutions up to 340 x 740dpi and the ability to print in 4, 6 and 8 colors, the HP Scitex XL1500 offers speed, quality and versatility. HP Scitex Supreme inks are top-of-the-line inks exclusively developed for HP Scitex printing systems and for highly demanding and value-added applications.