Baltimore – Vertis Communications, a results-driven marketing communications company that delivers inventive advertising, direct marketing and interactive solutions to prominent brands across North America, today announced the addition of three large format digital printing systems in its Irvine, Calif., integrated media solutions facility: two HP Scitex printers and an MGE digital finishing system.

Already an industry leader in helping clients leverage large format promotional marketing-such as POP / POS displays, in-store signage, fleet graphics and out-of-home-the installation of the HP Scitex printers and MGE finishing equipment advances Vertis' suite of end-to-end capabilities. The technology will increase print quality and format options, streamline production time, and reduce waste.

"Our clients turn to Vertis for the development of exciting and engaging large format communication programs that raise consumer awareness of products and services, or draw attention to promotional offers," said Michael Kucharski, senior vice president and general manager of integrated media solutions for Vertis Communications. "The addition of the HP equipment allows Vertis to quickly turn around the highest quality large format campaigns, including those requiring a wide range of output materials or significant volume and customization. The result is an unprecedented ability to deliver the creative and high-impact campaigns demanded by our customers."

The equipment advancements provide marketers added time to complete creative designs and plans by significantly shortening turnaround for large-scale projects. With enhanced production capacity, national brand marketers with large volume requirements can now economically shift to more regionalized or personalized marketing initiatives. The broader range of materials that can be printed on allows boundless creative options for clients' marketing messages.

The HP Scitex FB7500 Printer offers the benefits of digital printing in production environments, helping to reduce project turnaround time and deliver high quality output for large volumes of complex POP/POS applications on a wide variety of substrates. Reducing idle time between sheets by up to 75 percent, and requiring only one operator, the HP Scitex FB7500 Printer has the capacity to handle industrial-scale projects in a fraction of the time and with reduced costs.

The HP Scitex LX800 Printer sets a new image-quality standard for industrial large-format production. It is the largest, most productive HP Latex Ink device to date, allowing for direct printing on vinyl, wallpaper and polyester fabrics, including unlined flags. The HP Scitex LX800 Printer and HP Latex inks offer consistent image quality while delivering stellar performance in terms of productivity, size, durability and media choices. Supporting a broader range of applications than traditional printing technologies, this device provides more versatility and helps reduce the impact of printing on the environment.

The MGE i-XL Kongsberg digital finishing system for short-run production offers unmatched digital finishing performance, versatility and durability for the large format materials printed by the new HP Scitex printers. The all-in-one integrated cutting head allows for processing of sheets or boards up to 87" by 120" and features automatic surface mapping for improved quality and throughput, including cutting, routing and creasing for complex large format shapes.

As part of the Integrated Media Solutions division, Vertis' Irvine location offers a full service, state-of-the-art facility featuring comprehensive turnkey services including premedia and creative development, digital and large format printing, and project fulfillment and distribution. The facility specializes in POP/POS display graphics for the retail industry, including 3-dimensional structural graphics, roller shades, standees, banners, posters, pop-ups, signs and fleet graphics. The location is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, offering many eco-friendly alternatives, such as the new HP Scitex LX800 Printer.