Cewe Color Group has installed an HP Indigo W7250 web fed digital at its headquarters in Oldenburg, Germany, to increase its productivity of its photobooks and other photo-speciality products.
The company specialises in the online print market and in 2011 delivered around 2.5 billion printed items a mix of photobooks, personalised calendars, greeting cards and other photo gifts. With 13 facilities and more than 3000 employees in 24 countries, the company is one of the largest European photofinishing businesses.
‘The CEWE Photobook is our best-selling product,’ said Dr Michael Fries, a member of the managing board. ‘We produced more than five million personalised books last year and demand is still increasing.’
The HP Indigo W7250 Digital Press intended for high-volume, high quality print with a competitive total cost of ownership. A second model will be installed next year. CEWE has been an HP customer since 2003.
‘Digital print technology is indispensible for our business and it is very important for us to provide our customers with the latest innovations on the market,’ continued Dr Fries. ‘For the large volume of tailor-made photo applications we produce every day, we require presses which are fast and reliable. The HP Indigo W7250 Digital Press provides us with high-volume production and short-run jobs in offset quality.’
In 2012, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary. In the early years, the company derived its income mainly from processing film, which is now only a small percentage of its revenue. Now it is continuing to expand its online printing service with its subsidiary companies, Viaprinto and Saxoprint, as additional business units.
Viaprinto focuses on web-to-print production of softcover and hardcover books as well as medium-run brochures.
Saxoprint offers leaflets, brochures and business cards for more commercial productions.
Also contributing to Cewe’s productivity is an HP Indigo 7600 sheet fed press, which has been installed in Dresden. All three presses were purchased at drupa in May. With a printing speed of up to 160 pages per minute in full colour, the 7600 also has new optional special features, such as raised print and textured effects. The press can print onto more than 2500 substrates including fully transparent and dark materials using white ink.
‘The collaboration with HP has always been of high value for us,’ said Dr. Fries. ‘We can now offer a large variety of applications using digital and offset to meet the special needs of our customers. I am sure that our subsidiary companies, Viaprinto and Saxoprint, will benefit greatly from the investment as well.’
Contact: www.hp.com
