HP Indigo Press Opens New Markets In Digital Print

Drukkerij van der Eems, a full-service printer located in Oosterend (Netherlands), has installed an HP Indigo press 5000 to replace its Ultrastream.

Drukkerij van der Eems, a full-service printer located in Oosterend (Netherlands), has installed an HP Indigo press 5000 to replace its Ultrastream.

Originally specialising in offset, the firm was an early investor in digital print technology and has established a strong expertise over the past six years, said HP.

The new HP Indigo press 5000 will expand the firm's digital capabilities in terms of print quality and productivity, added the company.

In addition to greater productivity, the Indigo press 5000 is delivering improved flexibility and an increased levels of print quality.

Durk Joritt van der Eems, general manager of Drukkerij van der Eems said: "The press exceeds our expectations in terms of speed and convenient operation.

For example, the multiple paper trays make it a lot easier now to combine several types of paper in one job, or to quickly insert an order using a different paper stock.

Now we can offer a more competitive price for combined digital and conventional printing orders.

We've also taken a huge a step forward with print quality.

Gradients and screen tints are smoother and images are more brilliant than before." The company maintains three production sites and has an annual turnover of four million Euros, about 25 per cent of which is digital print work.

The integration of digital printing has proved to be an enhancement rather than a detriment to the firm's offset business.

Digital capabilities have enabled van der Eems to provide customers a broader range of print.

The full-service approach has resulted in a healthy revenue stream of both offset and digital business, said the company.

"We chose the HP Indigo press 5000 because of its convenient operation and reliable performance, in addition to the excellent print quality.

This new press will provide a springboard to increased productivity," added van der Eems.

Efficiency is a crucial factor in the company's production, with digital printing and conventional offset running side by side.

The reliability of the Indigo press 5000 and the blanket's long lifetime ensures a low incidence of downtime and translates in to a lower cost per print, said HP.

Durk Joritt van der Eems said that his firm's break even point is relatively low: "Our strategy is to focus on short run value-added job orders so that we can achieve a profitable yield from work that is specifically suited for digital printing." Workflow automation and automated order intake have further reduced the need for human intervention during the digital print process.

According to Durk Jorrit van der Eems, digital printing holds the key to achieving better margins.

The Indigo press 5000 will pay a pivotal role in generating new services.

In addition to commercial and promotional print work, the company is focusing on the production of personalised albums containing digital photos that customers upload via the internet.

The Indigo press 5000 can print the entire album, including the cover letter and address label, in just one pass, he added.

The business-to-business market is another target market that van der Eems is pursuing.

By accessing the firm's web site, customers can order corporate material and have it digitally printed on-demand.

Fast, convenient and efficient, the company said that it is a popular service that will be extended to include other products, such as mailings and newsletters, for instance.

"We are optimistic because as our business continues to grow and this digital press has the capacity to grow along with us," said Durk Jorrit van der Eems.

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