Aubagne, France - For IMPIKA the last Drupa was all about Product Innovation, with the launch of three new iPrint colour continuous feed inkjet printers, of the "Large" version of the iEngine 1000 print engine, and of Genesis, a new concept between continuous feed industrial printers and colour production copiers. Marketing of these innovative solutions, initiated at the event, has already been highly successful in Europe and across the Atlantic.

In the footsteps of transactional and direct marketing markets, first-converted to the white roll concept and colour continuous inkjet printing, the book, magazine, catalogue and brochure sectors are now starting their migration to digital. The Innovation Days provide IMPIKA with the opportunity to present its solutions with a powerful emphasis on these new requirements.

Versatility with high profitability

The industry boldness begins with the choice to fit an iPrint Compact, the "Swiss army knife" of continuous feed colour inkjet printers, with two Hunkeler finishing lines: one dedicated to newspaper printing, and another designed for magazine, catalogue and book production.

The high production potential is achieved thanks to the iPrint Compact's capabilities in terms of speeds (up to 127m/min), resolutions (from 360dpi to 1200dpi), formats and paper weights as well as workflow management. Truly packed with functionality, this new model prints 2-up double sided from one print tower only and boasts the smallest dimensions in its class, with a length of just 3.6 metres and a footprint of less than 10m2. As a result, the iPrint Compact easily fits into all production environments.

Depending on the volumes to be processed, the iPrint Compact platform on show is also available with an iPrint eVolution or an iPrint eXtreme, which offer new capabilities in terms of printing width, print quality and productivity.

The market launch of HD (high density) inks in 2012 gained instant support from IMPIKA customers thanks to the very significant cost-per-page benefits. These new-generation inks are revolutionising the trade, as they allow exceptional colour-rendering over a very wide range of materials, including low-cost and lightweight papers.

On top of this cost advantage, should be added the ability to optimize return on investment through wider-schedule use of the machine for multi applications (newspaper printing by night and book printing by day for instance).

"Visitors will experience this versatility during the Hunkeler Innovation Days with a dual book and newspaper application. A number of national and international newspapers will be printed every morning, with changeable pagination. Demonstrations of monochrome and colour book printing are also planned, online, with a Hunkeler cutting assembly and stacker" says Jean Marc Pasturel, Marketing and Sales director at IMPIKA.

Enlarge your printing capabilities

The flexible approach for diversified markets and applications has also been chosen for the presentation in Luzern of the latest IMPIKA print engines, the ingenious iEngine 1000 L (220 mm), sales of which have taken off since its introduction in 2012.

Recognised as the most accomplished market solution for hybrid printing of variable data and pictures in A4 or US Letter format, this new IMPIKA engine integrates easily on all mechanical equipment: envelope inserting machine, printing press or even first-generation digital printer. Customers can also capitalise on their existing equipment whilst profiting from the reduced cost of digital advantages, and extend their sources of revenue.

The only engine on the market which prints in colour on 220 mm printwidth without "stitching", the product also stands out with a suite of unique capabilities. First, it prints in extremely high quality with a rendering greater than 1000dpi, in multilevel, at exceptional speeds. Second, it works with an automatic cleaning station integrated in its head, making it easy to use in an industrial environment.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see the system, integrated with a feeder and vacuum table, personalising large format envelopes and direct marketing mail.

They will be able to appreciate a printing quality never before seen in the print engine field, due in large part to the use of IMPIKA’s HD inks, already proven on the iPrint range.