HP today unveiled additions to its HP Scitex digital wide-format graphics portfolio, offering print service providers (PSPs) higher productivity, the versatility to handle more applications and the ability to meet the growing demand for short runs more quickly.

The new offerings include:

—  The HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press, with new HP FB225 Scitex Inks, workflow improvements for increased productivity and versatility and an optional multisheet loader.

—  The 16.6-foot (5-m) HP Scitex XP5500 Industrial Printer with new billboard print modes, industry-leading print speeds⁽¹⁾ and unprecedented ink coverage.

—  The 10.5-foot (3.2-m) HP Scitex XP2500 Industrial Printer, which delivers up to 15 percent more throughput than its predecessor.

—  Enhanced HP Scitex Print Care offerings for the new printers to help customers maximize uptime and serviceability.⁽²⁾

—  EskoArtwork i-cut Suite, a print-to-cut workflow solution enhanced for HP Scitex printers, from HP Solutions Business Partner ESKO.

“As the leader in industrial wide-format graphics, HP is helping customers transition from analog to digital printing and take advantage of higher value pages to further grow their businesses,” said Xavier Garcia, general manager, Scitex Wide-format Solutions, HP. “With today’s introductions, our customers can go after these pages with the confidence that HP digital solutions will deliver the productivity, versatility and reliability they demand.”

The HP Scitex FB7600 and XP5500 industrial presses will debut in HP booth 919 at the 2011 SGIA Expo in New Orleans, Oct. 19 - 21. At the show, HP also will kick off the first HP Print Excellence Awards for HP Scitex and HP Designjet customers to recognize best-in-class wide-format graphics applications. The contest will culminate at the drupa 2012 tradeshow, where HP will announce winning customers and applications.

HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press improves productivity and workflow

Delivering high productivity on a range of flexible and rigid media, the HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press offers a variety of productivity enhancements – including in-line saturation control for backlit applications, hot folders and job queue – to help PSPs expedite their workflow. The device can print up to 95 full boards an hour and has a new point-of-purchase print mode that produces 55 full boards an hour with indoor quality.⁽³⁾

New HP FB225 Scitex Inks adhere better on plastics and improve flexibility on corrugated media,⁽⁴⁾ allowing customers to reduce the time required for finishing and expand their businesses with new applications. The inks also have reduced odor⁽⁵⁾ and the ink system is GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified^SM,⁽⁶⁾ offering reassurance that the prints produced are suitable for use in indoor environments.

“The new features of the HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press make it possible for us to offer both speed and quality at a competitive price,” said Tim Boore, head of Digital Technologies at United Kingdom-based Image Factory. “The edge-to-edge printing feature saves time and reduces material waste during the finishing process. We were pleased with the previous inks, but the new HP FB225 Scitex Inks offer increased flexibility and have expanded our application versatility.”

The HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press is expected to be available worldwide on Nov. 1.⁽⁷⁾ Existing owners of the HP Scitex FB7500 Industrial Press who want improved versatility and efficiency can easily upgrade their existing technologies with the HP Scitex FB7500 Industrial Press Upgrade Kit.

HP Scitex XP5500 and XP2500 printers deliver quick return on investment

The HP Scitex XP5500 Industrial Printer is ideal for high-volume PSPs that require a reliable, 24/7 printing solution. Offering a combination of low-cost-per-square-foot printing at industry-leading speeds,⁽¹⁾ the device prints up to 3,500 ft²/hr (325 m²/hr) in billboard mode using HP Specialty Billboard Scitex Ink. Additionally, PSPs can increase their return on investment through better ink coverage than comparable solvent and UV-ink printing systems,⁽⁸⁾ and with the ability to print on a wide range of media.

Designed for high-volume PSPs seeking a UV-curable alternative to solvent ink printing, the HP Scitex XP2500 Industrial Printer offers a low cost per square foot at print speeds up to 2,850 ft²/hr (265 m²/hr). Customers can choose one of the new print modes that use HP Specialty Billboard Scitex Ink for high ink coverage, enabling PSPs to produce billboards or close-view applications without switching inks. This specially formulated ink provides media versatility and operational efficiency for a variety of outdoor and indoor applications.

The HP Scitex XP2500 and XP5500 printers are scheduled to be available worldwide on Nov. 1 and Dec. 15, respectively.⁽⁷⁾ HP also will offer HP Scitex XP5300⁽⁹⁾ and XP2300 Upgrade Packages for existing customers who want improved versatility and a new level of service with HP Scitex Print Care.

New workflow solution for HP Scitex from ESKOArtwork

ESKOArtwork i-cut Suite is a print-to-cut workflow solution that tackles bottlenecks in the manufacturing of wide-format graphics by simplifying the cutting process, including PDF preflight, editing and correction, nesting and layout and the production of printing and cutting files.

ESKOArtwork i-cut Suite is compatible with all HP Scitex printers, raster image processors and cutting devices. The enhanced solution exclusive to HP Scitex customers includes a library of optimized HP Scitex profiles. ESKOArtwork i-cut Suite is available through ESKO distributors and resellers.

HP discusses sustainability at SGIA Expo seminar

Stephen Goddard, environmental leadership program manager for the Graphics Solutions Business at HP, will present a seminar titled “Sustainability and the Environment” on Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. CT. The session will answer PSPs’ most pressing environmental questions to help them achieve their sustainability goals and preview new program developments from HP.

Goddard will be joined by Marci Kinter, vice president for Government and Business Information at SGIA and chairwoman for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, as well as other industry suppliers.

HP offers flexible financing solutions for customers deploying the latest HP digital printing technologies through HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and life cycle asset management services division. An HP Financial Services representative is onsite at SGIA to provide details of applicable offers.

More information about HP’s wide-format graphics industrial printing solutions is available at www.hp.com/go/gsb, through the HP Graphic Arts Twitter feed and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/hpgraphicarts. Additional information about HP at the 2011 SGIA Expo is available at www.hp.com/go/SGIA2011.