VG Print of Vianen in the Netherlands has installed the first non-beta HP Indigo 7600 Digital Press in the world. It has chosen a five colour version.

Announced at drupa, the new press can print at speeds up to 120 four-colour A4 pages per minute (ppm) and up to 160 ppm in three-colour Enhanced Productivity Mode – a 33% increase over the previous top speed for presses in this series. It can also handle 2500 certified substrates and generate special effects.

VG Print started as a commercial printer with digital dry toner press capabilities in 2005, later installing an HP Indigo press 3500 in 2008 to improve print quality and runability. It saw the opportunity to become a one-stop-shop for all its customers’ print requirements, and added a wide format capability, including an HP Designjet 5500.

‘Our digital business has grown steadily and now comprises about 70 per cent of our business,; said Rob Ebben, managing director. ‘Since we are optimistic about the future, we decided to increase our digital production capabilities. We particularly liked the press’s runability and the broad range of substrates that it can print.’

With a product offering including business cards, flyers, brochures, periodicals, books, labels, envelopes, posters, banners, and vehicle wraps, VG Print has attracted a diverse customer base of large and small companies. About 40% of its work is done for print buyers, agencies and as an out-sourcing provider.

The company used HP Financial Services (HPFS) to buy its latest press.

‘Once we decided to buy the press, HPFS contacted us and made us an offer,’ Mr Ebben explained. ‘They organised a package for us that enabled us to buy the press while preserving our cash flow, thus reducing the risk.’

VG Print, which now employs 10 people, is keeping its original HP Indigo press 3500 to provide overflow and backup capacity.

‘We’ve been very pleased with the service and support we’ve had from HP,’ said Mr Ebben. ‘Still, we looked carefully at the alternatives before coming to the conclusion that the HP 7600 press was the right one for us. Our customers often specifically request HP Indigo quality, so the HP Indigo 7600 Digital Press made sense for us.

Contact: www.hp.com