Hewlett-Packards’ Latex 1500 printer is increasingly gaining popularity when it comes to quality printing, especially in cases where one is diversifying into other mediums of printing. Insight Print Communications, dealers and suppliers of HP products, recently supplied the machine to Delhi-based Directions Retail Projects, who specialize in signage and graphic art, and Jabalpur-based SS Communication, an advertising agency aiming to build their own printing infrastructure.
DSDN and odor is key
The 3.2-meter HP Latex 1500 operates on water-based technology and is capable of running at speeds of 480 square feet per hour for indoor graphics and 800 square feet per hour for outdoor. Interestingly, it can also print on textiles with capacity up to 260 square feet per hour. The press is best suited for double-sided back-to-back printing of backlit graphics and can deliver PVC banners of up to 150 square meter size. It also comes with the Double-Sided Day-Night (DSDN) kit.
Rajdeo Sharma, director at SS Communication, shares, “The fascinating factor of this printer is the double-sided day-night kit, which can print double-sided back-to-back backlit graphics. The second major factor is its water-based technology as we were not comfortable with our earlier solvent-based printer due to its odor. Water-based technology ensures that there is no odor.”
Amit Jain, director at Directions Retail Projects who has state-of-the-art infrastructure in Patparganj industrial area of Delhi, says, “We are happy and satisfied with the installation of HP Latex 1500. The printer is competent for double-sided backlit applications with the optional double-sided day-night kit. The inclusion of the new HP machine has helped us boost the quality of our print job as we handle a gamut of in-store branding and graphic projects.”
Hailing high since 2000, Directions Retail Projects deals in all kinds of graphic art/signage projects by converting designs into more unconventional output, adding value. The company has a team of 70 highly experienced professionals who meet the needs of the customers. Directions Retail’s customers from the mobile industry include names like Airtel, LAVA, Vodafone, Reliance Mobile, and more. Company jobs include all sorts of signage/display projects like glow signs, steel and acrylic letters and sun-board dispensers.
On the other hand, Jabalpur-based SS Communication is a full-fledged advertising agency established in 2003. Sharma believes that the adoption of the new HP Latex 1500 has given a major thrust to their capability by producing water-based print graphics in an eco-friendly manner. Sharma has plans to foray into textile applications soon. The company is the sole vendor of many corporate customers, who largely include cement companies like ACCand a host of leading mobile phone service and handset majors like Jio, Airtel, and Oppo, among others. Thirty-three percent of the total demand for printing is generated in-house. Meanwhile, the company handles jobs of around 3 lac square meters per month.
Sharma shares, “We are an advertising agency. Since we have regular business requirements in printing, we are aspiring to have our own setup as we work under deadlines and that necessitates us to have our jobs printed on time and without much hassle. We will be including more machines in our print setup soon. Some other gradual upgrades and equipment will follow soon. We are happy to be expanding and will soon be able to deliver effective solutions under one roof.”
Sharma is also looking at developing a technical team that will help SS Communication to achieve better results and generate economies of scale. “We have received technical training from HP’s engineers who have also briefed us on the way ahead. The results of the machine are extraordinary,” he adds. Sharma also states that the market is huge in terms of reach and demand but grabbing work is tough.
Insight Print Communications, which has installed the HP Latex 1500 at SS Communication and at Directions Retail Project, is one of the country’s largest dealers for graphic arts equipment sales. The company has played a crucial role in establishing some of the biggest global printing brands in India. Ajay Aggarwal, managing director and chief executive officer of Insight Print Communications says, “We have seen the transition from analog to digital happening in many industries. Digital is the trend today. HP’s machines are very popular with our clients. They are happy and satisfied with the press. We will continue to support them with our technical team and other solutions as well.”
Insight Print Communications is also the channel partner for Bizhub Press C71cf Label Press in the East as well as in West India.
