PRINT
IT
RESELLER.UK
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WIDE-FORMAT
large from the standpoint that commercial
print businesses who are not offering
these services now can affordably bring
wide-format production in house and
gain a greater share of their clients’
marketing spend. There is also a large
opportunity among corporate in-plant
printing departments – universities and
businesses that currently perform digital
printing but end up spending a lot of
money outsourcing wide-format printing,
can operate more efficiently and cost-
effectively with a printer like the Pro 16h.”
PITR
:
What are some of the key
developments on new devices
and how are these expanding the
market?
Phil McMullin:
“Epson is unique
in supplying its machines with home
developed and manufactured piezo
thermal inkjet heads and inks. Epson
developments focus on enhancing quality
and the printheads do get better and
better and are unmatched by our rivals.
“The inks are also evolving with
greater water- and light-resistance and
water-repellence. It is possible for users
to increase the ink capacity on their
printers and this can make inks even more
economic.”
Anne Sharp:
“Multifunction printers
have been growing steadily at 21 per
cent CAGR between 2011 and 2016. In
fact, that growth has been kick started
by HP, after introducing the industry-first
integrated multifunction printer in 2010,
HP WallArt in the HP Applications Center, free online solutions for
simple web-based, design and ordering of large-format jobs 24/7.
The HP Latex 115 printer offers:
n
Easy, intuitive operation, with automatic maintenance as well as
an X-axis cutter
n
Prints that come out dry, odourless and ready for same day
finishing and delivery thanks to water-based HP Latex technology
n
High quality production with high resolution prints delivered by
up to 1200 native dpi across a range of applications
n
Six-colour printing for high image quality and smooth transitions
The HP Latex 115 Print and Cut solution offers additional
features:
n
HP Latex Basic Cutter with HP barcode and Optical Positioning
System (OPOS) for fast job recognition and reliable cutting
n
Unique HP FlexiPrint and Cut RIP for optimised workflow
management from a single point and with barcode integration.
Both models are available now, starting at £8,400 RRP.
Continued
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more...
Epson SureColor
SC-T3200
giving customers the ability to scan, copy
and print large format with one integrated
device.”
Ken Hanulec:
“One of the key
developments has been building the
type of distribution channel and service
operation that can be most effective for
entry-level users who are moving into
production-volume wide-format printing
for the first time.
“Many of the customers moving into
this market are digital commercial print
shops and in-plants. In recognising our
customer base’s needs, EFI has worked
to develop stronger partnerships with
key suppliers in that market like Konica
Minolta and Ricoh. Those two companies
have tremendous reach and day-to-day
interaction with the print operations that
are moving into this space and we are
now re-selling our entry-level wide-format
printers through those companies.
“It is an important expansion of the
portfolio for Konica Minolta and Ricoh
where they can be more direct problems
solvers to their existing customers, and
it brings EFI’s presence as a wide-format
technology provider to a customer base
that is probably mostly familiar with us as
a developer of Fiery digital front ends.”
PITR
:
What segments are you seeing
most traction in?
Phil McMullin:
“For us the focus is on
POS and Print Service Providers (PSPs)
and we have seen some expansion in the
corporate market where businesses are
looking to bring print in-house to increase
flexibility and reduce costs.”
Anne Sharp:
“We are seeing significant
traction in two key areas; the move from
single-function to multifunction in the
architecture, engineering and construction
(AEC) market and the growth in the
signage/ decoration market for HP Latex
Technology with the versatility of these
printers to print on a wide breadth of
substrates from vinyl, canvas through to
wallpaper and textiles.”
Ken Hanulec:
“From a customer base
standpoint, there is growth among
university and corporate in-plant centres
and small to midsize commercial print
shops, including franchise networks. In
terms of market applications, we are seeing
growth focused in the growing need for
Anne Sharp
