Safe and eco-friendly Latex's safer and more eco-friendly inks are also opening new doors to users in this signage market. Dublin's DBSL, for example, purchased an HP Latex R2000 in May 2019 to enable the production of larger scale display work but soon found it could sell to the healthcare and education sectors too. "HP's Latex inks are more environmentally friendly than solvent-based inks," says Karen Donaghy, Director & Accounts, DBSL. "I think the industry will demand this more and more, so this is another way in which we are future-proofing ourselves. The new printer has capabilities that will let us reach new markets." Efficiency and cost-saving For other users, the main selling point of printing directly to signage substrates is its efficiency – in time and materials. "Previously, we had been printing onto vinyl and applying it manually to sign boards, so by printing directly to substrates we are making substantial cost savings on both vinyl and labour," comments Graham Sim Managing Director of Specialized Signs. The Edinburgh sign business installed an HP Latex R1000 in 2018. "The quality is also better; the appearance of vinyl application is nowhere near as good as direct-printed work." For Preston-based large-format print business JKN Digital, the density of colour achievable using the direct-to-substrate process was key to its decision to purchase an HP Latex R2000 in 2019, having seen the printer in action at the HP Graphic Arts Experience Center in Spain.

and increased capacity in our large format department." Printed.com offers an ever-expanding range of printed products directly to its customers online, including large-format rigid board work on Foamex, foam core, Corex, 2mm card, Dibond and acrylic – all printed on the Latex R2000. "But we don't intend to stop there as we believe there are many more substrates that the press will allow us to add to our range," says David. Simon Nuvoletta concludes, “Printing directly to substrates with high-quality inks can expand a graphics business's service offering enormously, while increasing efficiency, reducing consumables costs and boosting sustainability. With customers demanding all of this – choice, speed, low prices and greater ethical transparency – the technology offers fantastic benefits.” www.hpgraphicarts.com

"In Barcelona I was able to see the level of quality of the output on the R2000, especially when printing direct to rigid substrates," says Managing Director Peter Nicholls. "I was particularly impressed by the white ink; its vibrancy really makes it superior to all other whites on the market." Since its installation, Peter says it is the efficiency of direct-to-substrate printing that has made the biggest impact at JKN Digital. "We've also improved efficiency by working faster with the same number of staff while keeping the quality of output very high," he says. Printed.com installed an HP Latex R2000 at its Northumberland premises in July 2019. Production Director David Duncan agrees with Peter Nicholls. He comments: "Printing white ink is always a challenge on any device but the R2000 is producing some exceptionally high-quality results for us. That coupled with the sheer flexibility of the press makes it an ideal addition to our business. It has improved efficiency

PressOn used HP Latex machine to produce hoardings for Dulwich College

HP printer laying white ink in ‘Underflood’ mode

Printing directly to rigid materials, such as acrylic, for eye- catching displays

ISSUE 190 MARCH 2020     Sign Update 33