▲ The HP Latex 630 and 630 W Print & Cut give customers the option of upgrading to a dual-device solution for printing and cutting The Acuity Prime Hybrid which was first launched at FESPA can print on substrates of up to 2m in width and can print on a range of rigid medias, with the ability to print on four pieces simultaneously. The function of hybrid machines have become more relevant as they allow businesses to adapt their set ups for certain jobs, but also prepare for future work. A brand which has also built on its range of wide-format signage printers is HP Latex, which this year was represented by both Colyer and Perfect Colours at The Print Show. The show acted as a great launch destination for HP’s latest Latex range which is great for those looking to enhance signage and décor jobs. The HP Latex 630-series makes white ink technology more available to PSPs of all sizes while also providing more sustainable prints thanks to its water-based inks and environmental certifications. Daniel Martinez, general manager of HP Large Format, says: “The new HP Latex 630-series packs our leading latex features, such as white ink, into a more compact and affordable form factor, allowing even the smallest of print businesses to effortlessly deliver high impact signage and décor applications, boosting margins. “Beyond the hardware, we have continued to innovate when it comes to services and solutions, with new cloudbased HP Print OS functionalities giving time-pressed users the ability to process and monitor jobs from virtually anywhere.” In response to customers wanting to grow their e-commerce capabilities, HP created HP Print OS Design & eCommerce in order to helps PSPs enhance their online shops and simplify orders and job automation. Speaking about the show and the launch, Oliver Gosden, sales director at Colyer, commented: “Being new to the market it has gone down really well along with our other HP machines. We’ve had some positive feedback, and everyone has been really impressed with the print quality of the new 630 Series. “Previously white ink was kept for the 700 and 800 series, so this is making it more affordable for entry-level users.” Another brand used by PSPs and sign- makers for a range of machines for both entry-level and advanced users is Epson. On display at the SEDO/Epson stand at The Print Show was the Epson SureColor SC-R5000, Epson’s first resin ink large-format printer. The SC-R5000 prints on a range of substrates like vinyl, banner, textile, canvas, wallpaper, and film, making the machine extremely versatile and useful for textile and wide-format graphics companies. Another area of wide-format print that continues to be popular is the printing of site hoardings, boards, and exhibition graphics. A machine like the Epson SureColor SC-V7000 UV flatbed also fits the bill when it comes to expanding the range of appli56 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk November / December 2023 - Issue 345 cations printers can produce. Recently digital print specialist JBF Digital invested in a SC-V7000 in order to keep up with orders and expand production. Joe Field, managing director of JBF Digital, says: “We needed to be able to keep up with the competition and stand out from the crowd. Previously we were being out-costed, but with the V7000 we’re now more price competitive and delivering a better quality to our customers. “The business was really struggling at times to complete incoming orders. We were running 24 hours a day sometimes and looking to take on extra staff. Now we can take more work on, complete it to a higher quality, and offer quicker lead times.” The machine was recommended by Nick Martin from Perfect Colours, one of Epson’s specialised resellers. Field adds: “We also had two Epson SureColor SC-S80600s that had worked very well for us. We liked their build, consistency, quality, and reliability. Martin said there was this new system that would tick all our boxes. We did look at other options but liked the SureColor SC-V7000 for a number of reasons.” The V7000’s ten colour ink set and single-pass white ink process is indicative of the new technology and innovations PSPs and sign-makers need to stay competitive. Liyu UK is a company that has steadily been building its brand in the UK over the past few years offering wide-format machinery at a price point that can be more accommodating for entry-level or medium-sized businesses. Eddie Tucker, managing director for Liyu UK, says: “Liyu has got a really broad range of machines, very keenly priced and very well built. The company embraces new technologies and implements it into ▼ The SureColor SC-V7000 was developed for sign-makers looking to expand their offering and produce high quality UV signage MARKET TRENDS / WIDE-FORMAT PRINT KIT PT.2
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