Taking up the largest floorspace at PrintEx 15, the side-by-side HP and Currie Group showcase demonstrated a powerful force in printing, with digital label and pack printing a strong focus.
While HP's big launch at PrintEx was its new portfolio of HP Page Wide XL Printers, which are claimed to be “the fastest large-format production printing available in colour and black-and-white”, the HP Indigo team was out in force talking digital pack and label printing alongside equipment partners Currie Group.
PKN caught up with Roy Eitan, director and general manager for HP Indigo and Inkjet Web Presses in Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ) who was in the country for PrintEx.
Eitan said Australia is the second largest market for HP Indigo users in Asia Pacific, and while the packaging business is new to HP, the company is at the forefront of the transformation to digital printing.
“We have two segments we are focusing on: education and packaging, across multiple technologies.
“When it comes to education, it's about working with printers and brand owners to enlighten them on the benefits of digital printing, shift their mindset, and so drive the transformation from analogue to digital print,” he said.
“This is especially relevant in a mature market like Australia, and one in which run lengths are reducing and the call for innovation is increasing.”
He said it takes forward thinking companies like Pemara (which was first to install the HP Indigo 30000 digital press for folding cartons last year) to lead the way.
Eitan also spoke at length about the benefits of HP Indigo's EPM (enhanced printing mode) which allows full colour printing using only three colours (no black).
He said HP Indigo intends to double the size of its business through packaging, globally and in Australia.
Currie Group, HP's distribution partner, will play a big role in that growth.
Mark Daws, Currie Group's GM ANZ Labels and Packaging, was on hand to talk up the features of the HP Indigo WS 6800 that was on the stand and pointed out that Currie Group offers hybrid finishing solutions which allows printers to switch between inline finishing and offline finishing, an end-to-end solution that only Curie Group supplies and one that makes for a more agile supply chain.
He confirmed that Currie has to date installed four WS 6800 machines (one in Brisbane, two in Melbourne and one in Sydney) and the machine on display at PrintEx had also been sold.
