HP has announced that Readyprint Ltd, of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, has installed the first HP Indigo WS4600 Digital Press in the UK to offer digital label converting services and increase competitiveness.
Readyprint is an established label converter supplying high-quality labels to a broad base of retail and industrial customers, including well-known national and international brands. The new HP Indigo WS4600 Digital Press will complement Readyprint's comprehensive range of flexographic label presses.
"I am convinced that within three-to-five years, those companies without a digital capability will have a struggle to retain their ability to meet customer demands," said Syd Reading, founder and managing director, Readyprint Ltd. "Although we had the option of contracting out digital print, we decided that we wanted to retain control of the process and the quality."
Syd Reading signed the agreement to buy the HP Indigo WS4600 Digital Press at Labelexpo Europe where the press was launched in September. The press was installed in November and two operators underwent training at HP's facility in Barcelona.
The company has also invested in additional finishing equipment, a Digicon Lite and an Omega RTS330 folder from A B Graphic International, an HP finishing partner, which it has had configured to its own specification.
The HP Indigo WS4600 Digital Press offers label converters 4-colour printing at speeds up to 15m/min (50ft/min) and up to 21m/min (70ft/min) in the new Enhanced Productivity Mode. For 1- and 2-colour work, the press can run up to 50m/min (196ft/min). The press is able to handle a wide range of pressure-sensitive stocks and films up to 350 microns.
The HP Indigo WS4600 Digital Press also supports HP ElectroInk White and HP ElectroInk Invisible Red which can be used to add anti-counterfeiting components like invisible barcodes and various other security features.
"We are certainly interested in doing more than labels on the press," Syd Reading continued. "Apart from the ability to print labels, shrink sleeves, flexible packaging and folding cartons, the ability to add security features to products adds value and gives us great flexibility for our future development as well as an immediate competitive edge.
"The installation of the WS4600 press is part of our strategic development which will include moving into ecommerce, and a new website for our customers with enhanced online ordering," Syd Reading concluded.
More info:
www.hp.com