Inkjet & Digital Printing
Clients prefer Pluscolors environmentally-responsible product offering
Thursday 16. October 2008 - Pluscolor is a printing business that prides itself in being among the first to market in terms of new applications and in adopting technological innovation.
Objective:
Offer long-term indoor and outdoor image durability on a variety of substrates using a safe and affordable printer in a commercial environment.
Promote operator well-being with printing that is odorless(1) and does not use hazardous substances(2), eliminating the need for ventilation systems(3).
Offer high-quality, environmentally-responsible signage.
Save time and money from reduced manual, printer maintenance(4) and simplified waste management.
Pluscolor is a printing business that prides itself in being among the first to market in terms of new applications and in adopting technological innovation. Pedro and Cesar Augusto, managers at Pluscolor in Barcelona, Spain, have transformed the traditional photo lab founded by their father, a photographer, into a thriving business with two production facilities and an outlet in the city center. As technology has progressed, Pluscolor has transitioned to offer digital printing services to the Spanish market and beyond, exploring different technological solutions to produce a wide range of products both indoor and outdoor.
Innovation rewarded
“We started out by producing traditional photo enlargements, then purchased a DURST Lambda to expand into larger professional photographic prints for galleries, advertising agencies and marketing departments. Over ten years ago we invested in our first plotter and Adobe Photoshop 1.0! Today theres a lot of variety in what we do and a high degree of customization using different materials: aluminum, wood, crystal, foam, mesh, PVC, carpets. For example, we printed an image of the Earth seen from space on 250 meters square of carpet” says Cesar Augusto, describing their evolving business.
“Ten years ago we realized that digital was the future of the printing business and we needed to evolve along with the technology. We began printing bigger prints than before on a wider range of substrates, expanding our product offering. In 2004 we bought a solvent-ink printer. It allowed us to satisfy the demand for outdoor signage from existing customers. Though quality was decent for the time, we sold it after one year because of the bad odor, the complicated maintenance processes and excessive operator intervention. The operators complained, even with a dedicated ventilation system, and so did our neighbors. We also paid a company for our solvent waste ink disposal. We then purchased a couple of UV printers that are “cleaner” than solvent, and offer productivity if you dont need high-resolution output.”
Rewarded by their unrelenting strategy of technological innovation, Pluscolor were keen to invest in HP Latex Printing Technologies that reduce the impact of printing on the environment. “The HP Designjet L65500 Printer offers “cleaner” printing than UV, high productivity even at high resolutions, and durable output indoor and out,” claims Cesar.
Going greener
Driven by their awareness of the growing importance of environmental responsibility, in society and in business practices, Cesar Augusto assesses the role green technology can play in their business.
“There is a growing trend towards greener products and printing on recyclable substrates, like textiles. We believe Pluscolor has gained a competitive edge by adopting this technology early to offer environmentally-responsible products. We achieve product differentiation and can boost our price point in an extremely competitive market where profit margins are under constant pressure.”
The HP Designjet L65500 Printer offers broad outdoor and indoor application versatility, while delivering quality and durability at breakthrough print speeds(10). The prints are scratch, smudge, and water resistant on a range of media – with performance comparable to that of solvent-ink technology(5). HPs new recyclable substrates(6), HP Latex Inks, and ink cartridge design, are examples of HPs Design for the Environment initiative that is driving improvements at every stage in the product lifecyclefrom design to recycleto help reduce the amount of energy and resources used at HP and by customers.
Standing out from the crowd
Cesar claims that HP Latex Printing Technologies have enabled Pluscolor to stand out from the competition, and have significantly improved its production processes. “Printing and output from the HP Designjet L65500 Printer is odorless, eliminating the need for special ventilation systems. We save time and money on waste management as there is no hazardous waste. There are also no messy, daily maintenance routines for operators so they are happier and we are more productive.”
Pluscolor have only had their HP Designjet L65500 Printer for a short time but it has already been chosen for numerous projects. One of their first was to vehicle wrap a minivan for ONCE (Spanish National Organisation for the Blind), which will accompany cyclists during a major cycling event, the 889 km Vuelta de Catalunya (Tour of Catalunya). This job demanded durability in direct light in all environmental conditions. The lower half of the van was wrapped with HP Permanent Gloss Adhesive Vinyl and the upper half with perforated vinyl. Outdoor prints produced with HP Latex Inks achieve display permanence up to 3 years unlaminated and up to 5 years laminated(7) and are scratch, smudge, and water resistant on a range of media(8).
Customer choice
The growing environmental awareness of customers has consistently been confirmed and Pluscolors marketing strategy is proving that, given the informed choice, customers prefer environmentally-responsible print production and output(9). Pluscolor highlights jobs such as the promotion of a pharmaceutical product at a hotel in Valencia. Signage was required indoors for the hall and dining area, and outdoors too.
Outdoor signage demanded durability comparable to solvent-ink performance but indoor signage had to be odorless1. By exploiting HP Latex Printing Technologies, the pharmaceutical company obtained odorless1, environmentally-responsible output for both indoor and outdoor display from a single technology, plus image quality and color that was consistent in the two environments.
Signage was printed on 1.2 x 20 meters (3.9 x 65.6 ft) of HP Heavy Textile Banner, an HP Recyclable Media7, 3.2 x 2.5 meters (10.5 x 8.2 ft) of fl ag and 20 units of 1x 0.70 meters (3.3 x 2.3 ft) of electrostatic material. Restrictions applying to delivery of solvent-ink output, demanding that it travel in a separate compartment to the driver, do not apply for signage from HP Latex Printing Technologies, giving Pluscolor greater freedom and efficiency in organizing delivery and installation.
When asked to decorate the façade of a school in Barcelona with a 34 x 14 meters (111.6 x 45.9 ft) building wrap, Pluscolor proposed HP Latex Printing Technologies. The original design replicated an enormous blackboard with chalk marks, requiring a rich, black high-quality image that would last 5-7 years. The image will be printed on HP Permanent Matte Adhesive Vinyl covered with a layer of transparent vinyl to give long-term durability in a busy location.
A vision to share
Pluscolor is confident that printing volumes and profit margins will continue to grow thanks to the increasing number of customers that share their desire to reduce the impact of printing processes on the environment. Pluscolor continues to explore new business opportunities offered by their latest strategic investment in technological innovation, HP Latex Printing Technologies.
1) Printers using HP Latex Inks use internal heaters to dry and cure the latex polymer film. Some substrates may have inherent odor.
2) HP Latex Inks are generally not considered hazardous waste. Customers should consult state and local requirements and regulations.
3) Special ventilation is not required to meet US OSHA requirements on occupational exposure to VOCs from HP Latex Inks. Ventilation equipment installation is at the discretion of the customerno specifi c HP recommendation is intended. Typically no air discharge permitting required with inks that emit extremely low levels of VOCs. Customers should consult state and local requirements and regulations.
4) Printers using HP Wide Scan Printing Technology employ fully automatic printhead testing and maintenance systems.
5) Results are comparable across ink technologies in similar system confi gurations.
6) Recycling opportunities for this product currently only available in limited areas. Customers should consult local recycling resources for recycling this product.
7) Interior in-window display ratings by HP Image Permanence Lab on a range of media including HP media. HP in-window predictions based on test data under Xenon-Arc illuminant. Calculation assumes 6,000 Lux/12 hr day. Laminated display permanence using Neschen Solvoprint Performance Clear 80 laminate.
8) HP image permanence and scratch, smudge, and water resistance estimates by HP Image Permanence Lab. Display permanence tested according to SAE J1960 using HP Latex and solvent inks on a range of media, including HP media; in a vertical display orientation in simulated nominal outdoor display conditions for select high and low climates, including exposure to direct sunlight and water; performance may vary as environmental conditions change. Scratch, smudge, and water resistance tested using HP Latex and solvent inks on a wide range of HP media. Laminated display permanence using Neschen Solvoprint Performance Clear 80 laminate. Results may vary based on specific media performance.
9) No ozone products expected based on ink composition and printing technology; HAPs per US Environmental Protection Agency Method 311.
10) In the price/performance category for which printers based on HP Latex Printing Technologies are intended.