Inkjet Goes Mainstream: The Offset-To-Inkjet Migration of High-Volume Commercial Print

Since Print ’01, the graphics industry has undergone a monumental transition from analog to digital print. Most print service providers (PSP) have adopted some kind of digital technology to capture short-run efficiencies, deliver customization or reduce time to market. The rule that many PSPs followed was: high-quality, long-run jobs go on offset and lower-quality, short-run jobs go on digital. However, with recent advancements in high-speed inkjet technologies, those old rules don’t really apply anymore.

For more than 20 years, I have worked with my HP (Booth 1202) R&D team members to develop and expand the capabilities of inkjet technology. We have achieved breakthroughs in print quality at higher speeds, increased media versatility and new application possibilities. More PSPs are adopting inkjet for high-quality applications in longer-runs, and inkjet has moved from niche to mainstream commercial print.

In my new role as vice president and general manager of HP's PageWide Web Press division, formerly named HP InkJet High-speed Production Solutions (IHPS), I'm inspired to see our customers’ innovation. Commercial and production mail providers are creating and selling high-volume inkjet applications that simply were not possible a few years ago. These data-driven campaigns couldn’t be efficiently produced on offset or toner devices – only high-speed, high-quality inkjet.

Recognizing that commercial PSPs are rapidly executing their offset-to-inkjet strategy well ahead of drupa 2016, this week at Graph Expo HP introduced the 42-inch HP T470 HD and T480 HD Color PageWide Web Presses and new priming solutions, which are central to the offset to inkjet transformation. Enabled by our breakthrough High Definition Nozzle Architecture (HDNA) technology, these presses will deliver enhanced print quality for those halftone-centric applications that could generally only be run on offset. Coupled with new wide- and narrow-width priming solutions, these presses further inkjet’s expansion into the mainstream, providing offset substitutable image quality and even more media choices. HP’s latest technology makes matte, gloss and standard offset coated media compatible with inkjet, while lowering the cost per print.

The HP T470 HD and T480 HD Color PageWide Web Presses and new priming solutions will open the door for more PSPs to take advantage of high-speed, higher-quality inkjet. Inkjet technology is constantly evolving to meet the demands of today’s print buyers and brand owners, and HP is committed to leading that charge with advanced solutions that push quality and performance boundaries.