At the recently concluded virtual.drupa 2021, EFI launched its entry-level hybrid flatbed and roll-fed inkjet production printer, the EFI Pro 30h. At 3.2 meters wide, EFI said the Pro 30h printer is ideal for commercial print shops, sign shops, and in-plant print departments looking to start, upgrade or add board and roll-to-roll print jobs to their wide-format capabilities.
“The EFI Pro 30h hybrid LED entry-level production printer is strategically positioned to offer superior image quality, versatility, and productivity at a competitive price point,” said Thomas Krumm, product manager at EFI. In addition, it can print on a wide variety of substrates for a substantial gamut of applications that an entry-level signage or decoration printer or a mid-level business in India may find profitable.
The printer is supplied with two white channels as standard and an optional clear ink for unique, high-value prints that require high gloss images, special effects, and multilayer printing. In addition, it has a continuous board printing capability, also a standard feature that allows print businesses to maximize the use of the printer’s full production speeds on large board substrates or by simultaneously printing multiple small boards at one go.
Various features of EFI Pro 30h
The Pro 30h contains input feed mandrels for dual-roll printing, helping overall throughput. It is designed to make alternating or switching between rigid and flexible substrates faster and easier. The printer can output at speeds up to 2,477 square feet per hour. It features an EFI Fiery proServer core digital front end (DFE) with FAST RIP acceleration technology for quick file processing, robust spot-color control, cut marks creation, color profiling, and color verification features.
The company performed a virtual demonstration session of the Pro 30h from its Londonderry excellence center as a part of its virtual.drupa show.
2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and
multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.
The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry.
While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately
their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book
printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.
The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.
Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.
Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.
