36 Indigo Digital Press Deal Focuses On Photobooks

Consolidated Graphics, a North American general commercial printing company, has signed a multi-million deal for the installation of 36 Indigo digital presses from Hewlett Packard (HP).

The agreement includes multiple Indigo 7000 digital presses destined for Consolidated Graphics' facilities in the USA and the Czech Republic.

The press installations are scheduled to begin this month, starting with the company's Prague (Czech Republic) and Medford, Oregon (USA) operations.

The majority of the installations will be for a photobook printing operation that will include a number of Indigo 7000 digital presses, six of which will be used for direct marketing applications, including a press installed as a beta unit at Consolidated Graphics' Nies and Artcraft facility in St.

Louis, Missouri (USA).

Photo speciality printing, which includes photobooks and similar digitally printed products, is said to be the fastest-growing segment of HP's Indigo business.

The photo merchandise market will grow by 91 percent from 2007 - 2009, with worldwide revenues expected to reach US$2.6 billion by 2009, it is claimed.

In terms of value, Hewlett Packard said that its Indigo presses purchase represents a significant portion of the capital expenditure Consolidated Graphics has planned for its digital printing operations this year.

Last year, the company spent US$25 million on digital presses and related technology.

With annual revenues of US$1.2 billion, Consolidated Graphics has 70 printing businesses in the USA and Canada, as well as a facility in the Czech Republic.

The new Indigo presses with HP's Smartstream Ultra Print Servers, extends its presence amongst major general commercial printing providers as a leader in the use of digital printing technology, said the company.

Since buying its first Indigo press in 1998, Consolidated Graphics has used the technology in applications demanding high uptime and offset-quality, or photo-quality results.

Consolidated Graphics already has 19 Indigo presses that perform a variety of printing applications, from personalised marketing material, to print-on-demand supply chain management for an office supply firm, to a multi-media campaign in the telecommunications industry.

The company is said by HP to be the largest producer of printed material in the world using Indigo digital presses during the last quarter.

"We believe that Consolidated Graphics has the largest footprint of high-speed digital presses in the commercial print industry, both in terms of units and strategic locations," said Joe R Davis, chairman and chief executive officer of Consolidated Graphics.

"We expect to continue to invest in digital technology to satisfy our customers' increasing demand.

We are proud of our growing relationship with HP and the ability to leverage their technology leadership as a complement to our strategic focus in this high-growth portion of our business." Alon Bar-Shany, HP's vice president and general manager of the Indigo division, said: "This deal exemplifies the confidence that Consolidated Graphics has in our technology, as well as our commitment to customer success.

The unmatched quality of our technology allows companies, such as Consolidated Graphics, to pursue even greater profitable growth by meeting the exploding demand for photo-quality digital production printing and variable data print campaigns." Aaron Grohs, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Consolidated Graphics, explained: "Our digital investments underscore our commitment to offering our customers leading digital technology and the speed and cost-efficiencies of the largest integrated digital footprint of any commercial printer in the USA.

Our North American digital printing network is fully integrated so that we can send print files electronically to the facility closest to the point of delivery.

This provides a fast speed to market, cost-savings and an environmentally friendly alternative to shipping materials long distances.".

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