After testing the technology with an HP 800W roll to roll latex printer, Positive+ in Surrey has now installed an HP Latex R2000 flatbed.
The reseller Papergraphics has installed the investments which have enabled the diversified printer company to take on larger runs.
The two devices’ latex ink’s eco-friendly credentials were particularly attractive, according to chief commercial and sustainability officer Tony Dennington. Although Positive+ considered other machines, the eco-friendly water-basedinks were the best.
Dennington said Printweek: “[The R2000] has opened us up to bigger quantity runs at competitive prices, and the sustainability side is a big part of our ethos moving forwards.”
Installed in August, it is the machine’s feed system that has made the biggest difference for the firm, however. Previously, on its other machines the vacuum had not been sufficient to hold down E and EB fluted board, and the team had resorted to taping down the edges with masking tape or risk print errors – or an expensive printhead crash.
Dennington explained: “We had to tape them down, which takes a hell of a long time for each print copy, whereas with the HP, we’re feeding through on a conveyor belt type system of printing.
“The vacuum is very strong, it holds the sheets down flat. For reasonably large volume runs of corrugated board printing, it’s the perfect machine for us. It works great.
“It has opened doors for where in the past we were struggling to be competitive on volume print runs, we’re finding we’ve slotted into that band quite nicely now.”
Dennington said that the Latex 800W, a 1.63m-long roll-roll printer with a white channel, has also proven its worth.
“It’s great for our vinyl and general roll-to-roll work,” he said, adding that the quality has been consistent with the R2000.
Positive+ has always used UV machines for large format work. Its stable includes a Mimaki 3.2m roll-to-roll and Océ 3.2m flatbed, alongside a pair of HP DesignJet printers.