London - Ricoh Europe’s market-leading research and development has achieved a double endorsement from the European Digital Press Association (EDP).  Two of the global technology company’s newest production print solutions, the Ricoh Pro™ VC60000 and the Ricoh Pro™ C7100X, have respectively been awarded first place in the Best Production Printer Web-fed category of the official EDP awards and the Best Production 

Cut-sheet Printer Light Production category.

Graham Moore, Director of Business Development, Ricoh Europe, says, “In the months since launching the Ricoh ProVC60000, we have been getting a clear idea of how the market is opening up to the possibilities it offers. With every new conversation, we learn more about the reach this press can have. Inkjet presses are replacing web-fed offset presses and hybrid print production for applications like direct mail, books and newspapers, and there is a growing volume of true commercial print work as well. This is due to the increased quality, flexibility and productivity offered by production inkjet technology. It is clear the judges agree that the potential market impact is very exciting, and we are thrilled that they selected the Ricoh Pro VC60000 for this prestigious award.”

The modular Ricoh Pro VC60000 next-generation continuous feed colour inkjet press uses Ricoh’s latest generation drop-on-demand print heads and high density pigment inks. These new long-lasting, high quality stainless steel print heads are capable of physical resolutions up to 1200 by 1200 dpi. With the optional Undercoat unit, commercial printers can run a variety of offset coated stocks, achieving output quality comparable to what they expect from offset presses.  An optional inline Protector Coating unit provides scratch and scuff resistance to protect critical documents. 

The Pro VC60000 is designed to excel in direct mail, commercial print and book printing, has a rated speed of up to 120 metres per minute. Based on an open standard architecture, the Pro VC60000 uses a new Ricoh state-of-the-art Digital Front End that provides native support for PDF, PDF/VT and AFP, together with JDF/JMF and advanced colour management support.  This high performance DFE, optimised for complex data-driven graphic communications, includes an easy-to-use operator interface and advanced colour management capabilities. 

The Ricoh Pro C7100X series of digital colour cut sheet presses delivers print speeds up to 90ppm and supports media up to 360gsm.  Optimum image quality up to 1200 x 4800 dpi is achieved with Ricoh’s enhanced Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) technology. It is available with either the EFI Fiery E-43A or the faster and more powerful Fiery E-83A print server while Operator Replaceable Units (ORUs) enable trained operators to replace more than a dozen parts key to reliability and image quality to help optimise uptime and performance. 

Moore adds, “We are also delighted by the impact the Pro C7100X has had on the market. Ideal for small to medium-sized graphic arts businesses, direct mailers, service bureaux, digital printers and centralised reprographics departments, the Pro C7100X series also includes a fifth colour station that can be loaded with clear or white toner. The former can be used as a spot or flood coating, while the latter enables very high quality printing on transparent and dark substrates, adding significantly to the range of applications that can be produced with this award-winning digital press. This new series of agile, connected presses is enabling progressive Print Service Providers of all kinds to delight their clients with outstanding print output across a range of lower volume applications.”