Wide-Format from xpedx Equals Wide-Open Opportunity for Printers

Many commercial printers are looking eagerly at broadening their productive horizons with wide-format inkjet printing, and it's not hard to see why. With the help of these versatile devices, printers can discover "new" sources of revenue that were always there—jobs waiting to be done for current customers who no longer have to send this high-value work to other providers.

In fact, if a print campaign includes offset lithography, chances are better than ever that it also involves signage, banners, or some other form of output that only wide-format inkjet can supply. This means that potential for commercial shops is as big as the customer bases they are already serving. Wanting them to succeed, xpedx offers them the full range of solutions they'll need to make the most of the opportunity, and is featuring three at this year's show--booth 3601

An inkjet for the elements

Aqueous inkjet prints may be fine for proofing, but their inks are not made to stand up to the elements in outdoor signage or other applications intended for long-lasting display. xpedx answers this requirement by offering the Epson Stylus Pro GS6000, a 64", roll-to-roll device that can print eight colors of ink in high resolution.

The printer has maximum speed capability of up to 340 square feet per hour. Its solvent-based, reduced-VOC inks bring durability and high-quality color to every job that needs to retain its good looks over long periods, indoors as well as out. The Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 also comes with a fully featured ColorBurst RIP that has color profiling software built in.

Latex: solvent-free, odorless and durable

Water-based latex can be an alternative to solvents in applications of this kind, and that technology is what differentiates the HP Designjet L25500, also available from xpedx. Its solvent-free, odorless latex inks dry quickly on all types of indoor and outdoor media, printing with the same durability as solvent-based inks. The six-color device, configurable for 42" or 60" roll widths, can print in resolutions up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi at speeds up to 246 square feet per hour.

Versatility and performance

EFI Rastek UV inkjet printers are entry-level and midrange solutions for print businesses of all sizes and budgets. These roll-to-roll and flatbed devices can handle media of all types in widths from 65" to 98". Capable of printing a broad range of colors (including white) at a variety of high resolutions, Rastek UV inkjet printers are suitable for high-end applications in all production environments.

All of these high-performance platforms are ideal for producing everything that comes to mind with wide-format inkjet: banners, signage, vehicle wraps, fine art reproductions, POP — and that's just where the list begins. Given the great range of materials on which these devices can print—including paper, board, vinyl, fabric, and metallic substrates—imagination is the only limit.

In addition, the EFI Vutek QS family of printers and inks deliver high quality and exceptional production level speeds that provide several key benefits for greater profitability, localized messaging, increased capacity, and reduced labor, waste and make-ready costs. The QS family of printers use UV curable inks and deliver high reliability and midrange productivity with selectable droplet size technology. These roll-to-roll or flatbed devices are available from 2 to 3.2 meter widths and provide for a broad range of rigid and flexible print applications.