At Labelexpo Europe 2017, held in Brussels, Belgium from 25-28 September 2017, HP announced a new portfolio of solutions for digital printing and embellishment of labels in any quantity for any application. The announcement was made in a move to transform labels and packaging printing from analog to digital, enabling converters to grow their businesses into new markets.
HP also announced the HP Indigo GEM, a one-pass digital embellishments solution, which was available for pre-ordering at Labelexpo. Integrated with the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press, the GEM produces highly decorated labels simply and efficiently.
The new solutions come 15 months after the drupa 2016 technology roll-out.
“Our LEP technology unveiled at drupa last year was a leap forward, and fully launched to customers. The innovation continues, as we expand our capabilities and bring the industry’s most powerful digital label printing solutions that will help converters double their digital business over the next few years,” said Alon Bar-Shany, general manager, HP Indigo, HP. “With these solutions converters can streamline and reinvent the production floor and print any label, no matter the complexity, to successfully help meet new market demands.”
During the show, HP demonstrated all of its new capabilities, including the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press integrated with the HP Indigo GEM, HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press with HP Indigo Pack Ready Lamination for flexible packaging production enabling immediate time to market, and the HP Indigo 8000 Digital Press, the most productive narrow-web press in the industry. In a store-environment experience, HP Specialty Printing Systems (SPS) OEM partners demonstrated solutions based on the new SI-1300 desktop labelling print engine and other technology.
Any label for any job, printed digitally
Inline with the HP Indigo WS6800, the HP Indigo GEM is a fully digital one-pass printing press for embellishing with foil, screen, tactile, varnish and other special effects, using one workflow, one operator and one design file without the need for tooling. The HP Indigo GEM utilizes GEM Coat and GEM Clear, sold by HP Indigo. Developed with JetFX, shipping of the GEM is expected to begin in the spring of 2018.
New opportunities with high-resistance labels
Pack Ready for Labels is a new solution supporting the production of high-performance, high-resistance labels to help meet the industry’s standards, including household and chemical products. It includes an upgraded Inline Priming Unit as an option on the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press and supplies varnish and primer that will be sold by Michelman.
The new Inline Priming Unit also delivers enhanced press utilization and better serviceability.
Innovation in inks
HP Indigo also announced a new HP Indigo ElectroInk Silver, now in beta customer testing. The new ink formula is capable of generating a wide gamut of metallic colors, combining metallic effects with digital capabilities in one printing process.
New tools for workflow and automation
The HP Indigo WS6800 together with the HP Indigo GEM will be powered by the new HP Production Pro for Indigo Labels and Packaging. With five times faster processing, HP Production Pro delivers higher productivity, scalability and simplicity for any job, handling large volumes of variable data printing.
HP Production Pro enables converters to scale their business, and centrally manage fleets of HP Indigo label presses, while connecting the press to automation tools including HP PrintOS, MIS systems and the Esko Automation Engine QuickStart for Labels.
HP and Esko have incorporated the Esko Color Engine into HP Production Pro and are extending their cooperation to resell the new Esko Automation Engine QuickStart for Labels, an entry-level solution that optimizes printing and allows converters to ramp up prepress productivity in a simple and cost-effective manner.
HP PrintOS new applications and features for labels and packaging released at Labelexpo include PrintOS Jobs, for production monitoring and jobs’ tracking; PrintOS Site Flow, for production of high-volume of short runs and personalized labeling; PrintOS Box, a file exchange which simplifies print file receipt and content validation; and PrintOS Service Center, a single point of access to all service tools.
HP labels and packaging momentum
With more than 1500 labels and packaging presses installed worldwide, HP is leading the industry’s transformation. The latest installation of an HP Indigo 8000 Digital Press for labels at Belmark underscores the move by converters toward digital production.
HP also announced the sale of the 100th HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press for flexible packaging. The 50th HP Indigo 30000 for folding cartons was recently installed at Cartoffset in France.
