HP today announced the new HP Latex 300 Printer series, helping sign shops, quick printers and small to medium print service providers (PSPs) easily expand large-format printing capabilities, offer new application areas and build a healthier production environment.

Small and medium PSPs have long used traditional eco-solvent ink devices for outdoor print jobs, which lengthen turnaround times and limit application versatility. Powered by third-generation, water-based HP Latex ink technology, the HP Latex 300 Printer series helps low-volume customers efficiently handle more outdoor and indoor applications with improved durability and image quality.

“Small to medium PSPs face the challenge of simultaneously addressing more applications to reach more customers while reducing costs and fitting in smaller spaces,” said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Inkjet and Graphics Business, HP. “Backed by proven HP Latex Technology, the new HP Latex 300 Printer series addresses these needs with durable quality and easy operation, helping customers break application boundaries and establish a competitive advantage.”

Also for small to medium PSPs, HP is introducing the industry’s fastest 60-inch large-format inkjet printers, the HP Designjet Z6600 Production Printer and HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer.

New series accelerates transition from solvent to HP Latex

Introduced in 2008, HP Latex Printing Technology has established a new large-format product category with more than 19,000 units installed worldwide.⁽³⁾ Offering a complete portfolio for the low-volume market, the new HP Latex 300 Printer series features a range of price points, sizes and production levels to serve customers from small sign shops to higher-volume PSPs.

Helping customers transition more pages from solvent devices, HP 831 Latex Inks offer scratch resistance comparable to hard solvent inks on PVC banners and vinyls, while the HP Latex Optimizer enables high quality at high speeds. Third-generation HP Latex inks also contribute to a healthier work environment, with odorless prints that come out completely dry, ready to finish and deliver.

·    Designed for easy operation in small spaces, the entry-level, 54-inch HP Latex 310 Printer offers the benefits of HP Latex in a compact model with front-media loading to maximize the production area. Optimized for the HP Latex 310 and 330 Printers, the  easy-to-use SAi FlexiPRINT HP Basic Edition Raster Image Processor (RIP) software is bundled with these printers.

·    The 64-inch HP Latex 330 Printer combines application versatility with affordability, handling larger, heavier rolls and printing up to 538 ft²/hr (50 m²/hr).

·    The higher-volume, 64-inch HP Latex 360 Printer prints up to 978 ft²/hr (91 m²/hr) and increases application versatility with an ink collector for porous textiles. The printer also features automatic front-to-back registration for printing double-sided banners.

“As a long-time solvent user, we recently began exploring HP Latex Technology to replace our outdated solvent device,” said George Beitner, owner and founder, All Star Signs. “Since installing the HP Latex 360 Printer, not only are we able to print three times faster than with our solvent device, we also decreased project turnaround time from one to two days to 24 hours. This difference alone has dramatically impacted how we do business.”

New HP Designjet printers built for high speed and unrivaled image quality⁽⁸⁾

The new HP Designjet Z6600 Production Printer and HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer increase productivity with print speeds up to 50 percent faster than previous HP devices. Additionally, these printers are uniquely designed to deliver high-value  indoor applications and gallery-quality prints, with durable output that last up to 200 years.

·    The HP Designjet Z6600 Production Printer prints more efficiently than its predecessor using up to 30 percent less ink, saving time and costs with an optimized ink configuration.

·    The HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer produces top-quality prints at high speeds with advanced color management features, including an embedded spectrophotometer, as well as HP Chromatic Red Ink for a wider color gamut and uniform gloss.

“We collaborate with a large network of professional photographers who demand top quality at high volumes, making image quality and productivity critical to what we look for in a printer,” said Oscar G. Farell, marketing director, AP Photo Industries. “The speed and reliability of the new HP Designjet Z6800 Printer not only meets and exceeds our core needs, it has allowed us to transition jobs from three separate devices to the new printer, without compromising image quality.”

Availability

The HP Latex 300 Printer series is expected to be available worldwide May 5. The HP Designjet Z6600 and Z6800 Production Printers are expected to be available worldwide in May.

HP will display the new products and solutions for the first time in booth 2057 at the ISA Sign Expo in Orlando, Fla., April 24-26. At ISA, the company also will show new large-format media options for HP Latex inks, which will be available worldwide through licensing partner Brand Management Group (BMG). These include Type II certified HP PVC-free Durable Suede Wall Paper, an improved version of HP HDPE Reinforced Banner and three new photographic based materials. Additionally, productivity upgrades for the HP Scitex FB500 and FB700 Industrial Printers will be showcased in HP’s booth.

More information is available in an online press kit at www.hp.com/go/LFGraphics2014. Videos and updates on the new products are available on the HP for Designers Facebook page, the HP Graphic Arts YouTube channel and on Twitter using the #signexpo2014 hashtag.