Splash Events deploys HP latex technology

Edited by the Printingtalk editorial team Jan 9, 2009

Splash Events has expanded its capability to produce sustainable event signage with the addition of an HP Designjet L65500 printer featuring HP's latex printing technology.

By integrating this printer into its workflow, Splash intends to offer environmental aware printing services across all three disciplines that it services: trade show exhibits, corporate and retail environments, and branding of large corporate events.

'With the HP Designjet L65500, Splash will be able to grow its business by offering customers an environmentally sustainable option for printing indoor and outdoor signage,' said Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager of large-format printing, imaging and the printing group at HP.

Splash had the chance to put the Designjet L65500 to the test by producing marketing collateral and signage for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco.

In 2008, Nike began a multi-year process to make its events 'greener' and the Nike Women's Marathon was the first event to incorporate better printing and recycling methodologies for race course signage, marketing collateral and expo tents.

Some of the signage for the event was printed using HP Latex Inks and a variety of recyclable media substrates, including HP HDPE reinforced banner, HP Dupont Tyvek banner and HP photo-realistic poster paper.

Splash expects that 90 per cent of marketing collateral and signage for the 2009 event will be produced with HP Latex Inks and other printing methods that have less impact on the environment.

Splash also plans to use the Designjet L65500 to produce signs and banners for corporate event projects with Cisco Systems, IBM and Charles Schwab.

The 104in-wide Designjet L65500 is the first of a new category of large-format signage printers with HP Latex Inks and HP wide-scan printing technology.

Print service providers can expand offerings with this single printer that can produce a variety of applications, while delivering quality and durability at claimed print speeds of approximately 79m2 per hour (846ft2 per hour) and indoor-quality prints at up to 34m2 per hour (368ft2 per hour).

Prints produced with HP Latex Inks are said to be odourless and emit extremely low levels of volatile organic compounds.

Additionally, no special ventilation is required to meet occupational exposure limits and there are no requirements for air discharge permits, facilitating an improved printing environment.