HP Demonstrates Industry Leadership, Customer Installation Momentum at Labelexpo

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Today at Labelexpo 2014, HP is demonstrating its leadership in labels and packaging digital printing, debuting the HP Indigo WS6800 and  20000 Digital Presses for the first time in the United States.

As customers worldwide adopt these and other HP solutions, the company continues to drive the analog to digital conversion of labels and packaging printing. The volume of labels printed on HP Indigo digital presses is growing at a rate of 30 percent year over year in a market that averages just 5 percent yearly growth.(1)

“With rising demand for customized campaigns and faster turnaround, converters and printers are increasingly turning to HP to satisfy client needs from pressure-sensitive and in-mold labels to corrugated packaging,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo Division, HP. “By partnering with HP, customers have access to our latest technology advancements, helping differentiate their offerings to attract more business from leading global brands.”

U.S. debut of HP Indigo solutions, worldwide customer installations

In Labelexpo booth No. 3226, HP is demonstrating the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press, the third generation of the best-selling HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press series that now boasts 700 installations worldwide.(2) Delivering breakthrough productivity, versatility and color management, the press introduces advanced digital performance for a variety of applications, including pressure-sensitive labels, in-mold labeling and shrink sleeves.

Des Moines, Iowa-based The Label Advantage recently installed the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press with its sights set on expansion. Historically specializing in labels printing, the company is targeting new application opportunities—such as shrink sleeves and folding cartons—not possible with previous equipment. Furthermore, The Label Advantage is realizing faster turnaround with the press increasing productivity up to 50 percent.

Showcasing a wider format for labels and packaging, the 30-inch HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press enables converters to target new markets and larger, specialty applications. HP is experiencing strong market acceptance of the press since its commercial availability in May 2014, with 10 worldwide customer site installations already completed.

Recent installations include:

• Beta customer RAKO Etiketten of Germany is the first customer worldwide to install a second HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press, used primarily for high-volume labels production.
• The first customer in Latin America to purchase an HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press, Eshuis America/Ercus group expects to complete installation by year end with plans for larger flexible packaging applications, wrap-around labels and other film applications.

HP solutions power customization, waste reduction and new packaging applications

Also featured in HP’s booth, the new patent-pending Mosaic application of HP SmartStream Designer offers fast turnaround of highly customized campaigns where every copy is different. With a high degree of automation and tight integration with the converting process, this new design software recently powered a localized labels campaign for the world’s largest beverage brand. This campaign generated 2 million variations from 23 original label bottle designs for a unique consumer experience.

HP also exhibits a new self-sustaining imaging oil kit for HP Indigo digital presses, which reduces waste by generating distilled imaging oil sufficient for the printing process and maintenance with no external oil needed.

Encouraging customers to look beyond traditional packaging applications, HP highlights its complete portfolio of digital packaging solutions at Labelexpo 2014. Experiencing success at multiple customer sites worldwide, the HP Indigo 30000 Digital Press delivers high-quality folding cartons with faster turnaround times. Additionally, HP is pioneering digital solutions for corrugated packaging applications with the HP Scitex 15000 Corrugated Press for direct printing on corrugated media, as well as the HP High-speed Inkjet Corrugated Packaging Solution, based on the HP T400 Simplex Color Inkjet Web Press, for high-volume corrugated packaging printing.

More information about HP digital printing solutions for labels and packaging is available at www.hp.com/go/gsb, on the HP Graphic Arts YouTube channel, through the HP Graphic Arts Twitter Feed and on the HP for Designers Facebook page.