HP has unveiled an expanded portfolio of HP Latex Printing Technology solutions designed to reduce the impact of printing on the environment and further the adoption of the technology for a broader array of printing customers.
Offering users such as small and midsize digital print and sign shops, as well as copy shops and photo labs, the ability to print with the environment in mind, the new additions include:
- The HP Designjet L25500 Printer, which offers easy, low-maintenance printing of a wider range of applications?from indoor point-of-purchase displays, exhibition graphics and interior décor like wall murals and fabrics to outdoor banners, bus shelters and vehicle wraps?than is possible with eco-solvent or traditional water-based printing alone
- Six Original HP printing materials compatible with HP Latex Ink printers, including two recyclable substrates and three polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-free alternatives
- The expansion of the HP Planet Partners program to include the HP Large-format Media take-back program in the US and select countries in Europe
"Customers have been asking us for a versatile, cost-effective alternative to eco-solvent-based printing solutions for the production of a wider range of indoor and outdoor large-format applications, while reducing the impact of printing on the environment," said Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager, Designjet Large-format Printing.
Solutions, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "The expanded HP Latex Printing Technology portfolio enables us to meet and exceed this demand for a variety of customers, allowing them to create a competitive advantage and seize new growth opportunities."
The expanded HP Latex Printing Technology portfolio builds on the technology of the HP Designjet L65500 Printer. This printer has seen tremendous acceptance in the graphics market with more than 1.2 million sqm printed on installed machines since the printer's general availability in August 2008.
Available in 42- and 60-inch models, the HP Designjet L25500 Printer delivers unrivaled versatility for a broad range of high-quality and flexible, outdoor and indoor applications while meeting the needs of environmentally conscious customers.
Existing low-volume print service providers (PSPs), such as early customer Tot.rètol of Igualada, Spain, can benefit from the HP Designjet L25500 Printer because it delivers prints with quality and durability comparable to eco-solvent ink technologies. In addition, it prints a wider range of applications?from durable outdoor signage to high-resolution, close-view prints?than is possible with eco-solvent or traditional water-based printing alone.
"The HP Designjet L25500 Printer has allowed us to expand our previously solvent-only sign-making business with new applications and products, while still serving our core business for robust, durable output," said Joan Torrents, general manager and owner, Tot.rètol. "We recently bid for a high-image-quality job for which our solvent printer was not an option due to the low image quality it offers. By using the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, as opposed to outsourcing, we were able to make an extremely competitive offer to acquire the new customer and still make a profit. The customer was satisfied with our printing service and we have become their first choice supplier."
The ease of use afforded by water-based HP Latex Inks and HP 789 Designjet Printheads enables an easy transition into large-format or outdoor printing for entry-level sign shops, photo labs and digital printers thanks to unattended printing with no daily, manual printhead maintenance required, user-replaceable printheads and an embedded spectrophotometer for accurate and consistent color across prints and between printers.
Designed to reduce the impact of printing on the environment, HP Latex Inks produce odorless prints that allow placement in point-of-purchase environments where odor is a concern. HP Latex Inks are non-flammable and non-combustible, do not require hazard warning labels, and contain no hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Additionally, no special ventilation equipment or external dryer is required and the HP Designjet L25500 Printer features the Energy Star rating, which demonstrates compliance with strict energy-efficiency guidelines.
HP also introduced six Original HP printing materials compatible with HP Latex Ink printers. These additions expand the portfolio to 19 printing materials, including seven recyclable substrates and several PVC-free alternatives.
- HP White Satin Poster Paper?a multi-layer, bright-white coated paper developed to provide durability and excellent image quality for indoor and outdoor advertising applications and can be recycled through commonly available recycling programs
- HP One-view Perforated Adhesive Window Vinyl?a self-adhesive vinyl, designed particularly for window graphics, with a perforated, black back film and white paper liner that provides stunning graphics on one side and a clear view from the other
- HP Air Release Adhesive Gloss Cast Vinyl?a high-performance white cast vinyl with a gloss finish and an opaque permanent adhesive that provides clean removability, laminated outdoor durability up to five years for vehicle and fleet graphics applications and a new HP Performance Warranty when used with the HP Clear Gloss Cast Overlaminate
- HP PVC-free Gloss Adhesive Film?a PVC-free alternative to monomeric vinyl that offers excellent performance in a white film with a gloss-satin finish and a permanent, repositionable adhesive for strong adhesion and outdoor durability as well as glass and all-purpose cleaner rub resistance
- HP PVC-free Wall Paper?a flame retardant, strippable, pre-pasted wall paper with an ultra-smooth finish that provides vivid color, high-definition detail for close viewing and an odor-free alternative to PVC for wall murals and creative designs; provides up to 20 years display permanence indoors, away from direct sun; easy-to-install paper also tears off easily and comes with an HP warranty for clean removal
- HP Light Textile Display Banner?a PVC-free, flame-retardant, uncoated polyester textile banner material that delivers long-lasting indoor image quality, dimensional stability during printing and is recyclable through the HP Large-format Media take-back program
HP also expanded the HP Planet Partners program to include the HP Large-format Media take-back program in the US and select countries in Europe, allowing customers to return and recycle prints produced with HP Latex Inks on HP recyclable media as well as Original HP 789 Latex Designjet Ink Cartridges and Printheads at no additional cost. Customers simply pack up the used media and HP pays the shipping charges and handles sorting and recycling.
The HP Designjet L25500 Printer will be demonstrated publicly for the first time in the HP booth in Hall 8A G20 at VISCOM Germany in Dusseldorf, Oct. 1-3, and is expected to begin shipping this year and be available worldwide in early 2010.
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