drupa fair is an excellent place for technologic arts to star. When we talk about printing systems, which drupa is all about, HP comes to mind immediately. And this time this world brand has more in store. We spoke with Noam Zilbershtain, VP & General Manager, HP Indigo to get some details about their drupa exposure prior to the event. Full text of the exclusive interview follows:
With drupa 2024 approaching, what are some of the key technological advancements HP has developed recently? Please provide insights into the cutting-edge solutions HP plans to showcase at the event? What unique features or capabilities will these products or services offer to potential customers?
Last month, we revealed the full HP Indigo’s portfolio for drupa, and announced a number of exciting new HP Indigo presses and intelligent automation solutions designed to address today’s production challenges in the commercial printing and labels and packaging markets.
The new HP Indigo 120K Digital Press offers best-in-class productivity and offset-matching print quality. It sets a new benchmark of high-volume production and automation, designed to optimize PSPs’ print ecosystem. It enables printers to move jobs from analog to digital more intuitively and economically to meet demanding customer needs. Optimizing production floors by combining analog and digital technologies, the HP Indigo 120K reduces human touchpoints, increases uptime and enables multi-press operation by a single operator. With the HP Indigo 120K PSPs can capture burst capacities, personalized long runs, and on-demand publishing. Equipped with the new ECO mode option, the new press not only propels production to new heights, but also achieves sustainability goals more economically.
The new HP Indigo 18K Digital Press handles the widest range of print applications ever produced with a single B2 digital press, accommodating diverse substrates and job types seamlessly. The HP Indigo 18K digital press simplifies the production process and ensures efficiency with advanced AI and automation at its core. Advanced AI features like auto recovery and proactive alerts enhance productivity and simplify the entire production process, achieving up to 80% press availability within a single shift. Aligning with HP’s sustainability commitment, the Indigo 18K supports Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM), delivering 24% energy savings per sheet.
We also introduced the HP Indigo 7K Secure Digital Press, revolutionizing restricted digital security printing by executing security-focused print jobs in a single pass. Collaborating with Jura JSP, this cutting-edge sheet-fed press enables workflows that are tailor-made for security production lines, so customers can diversify their offerings, cater to a comprehensive range of security needs, and acquire new customers to grow their business.
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, how does HP envision its technologies contributing to the transformation of traditional printing processes? Are there any specific strategies or initiatives in place to facilitate this transition?
For more than two decades HP Indigo has been at the forefront of the analogue-to-digital transformation, consistently delivering innovative solutions which are the components driving the transformation of traditional printing process and ultimately, the evolution of the intelligent factory. We continue to lead the charge for the transformation of traditional print and profitable growth across end-to-end solutions.
In March, we announced several new digital presses leveraging Indigo’s cutting-edge LEP technology, along with an expanded portfolio of intelligent solutions digitizing the production floor. Of which included the HP Indigo 120K Digital Press, the HP Indigo 18K Digital Press, and the advanced HP Indigo 7K Secure.
As the printing industry embraces automation and digitalisation, HP Indigo empowers customers with unprecedented levels of productivity, efficiency, versatility, quality and cost-effectiveness. The new and advanced portfolio delivers on our analog-to-digital transformation strategy, which allows PSPs to enhance their production floor and achieve productivity, quality, and better economics without the need to compromise.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the tech industry. How does HP integrate environmentally friendly practices into its latest technologies, and what efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact of the products showcased at drupa 2024?
Sustainability has been influencing the packaging industry and radically changing business operations and models for a long time. At HP Indigo, we have a responsibility for continuance improvements, and our ambition is to make a positive impact for people and communities around the world. The print and packaging industry is where we are driving significant activities improving energy efficiency, increasing circularity, reducing waste, and empowering our customers to reduce the environmental impact of their businesses.
Our commitment to sustainability focuses on carbon emission reduction and circularity, backed up by data and regulation compliance. Reduce carbon emission by optimising the day-to-day operation: advancing on product design and operation efficiency.
HP Indigo enable more sustainable production processes, equipped with capabilities such as automated digital printing, optimized energy printing mode, ink consumption and ink innovations that ultimately reduce carbon emission associated with energy and waste reduction.
To help customers calculate their emission associated with job printing we are developing a job CO2 calculator. By supporting customers with data we drive mutual effort to develop the emission reduction strategy for our operations
Enhance circularity of our products and support customers and brands to achieve their circularity goals, supporting the widest range of sustainable media. We believe circularity should be weaved into our processes from R&D, to manufacturing, Supply chain and services. That’s why we prioritise longevity in manufacturing products that are built to last via sustainable design. Through upgrade options and robust maintenance strategies, we ensure a longer products’ lifespan. Shipping 12% of recycled or reused materials we’re working constantly to reduce the environmental impact of our equipment.
And, at the end of life of our products or supplies, the HP Indigo Take Back program recovers the presses and supplies for remanufacturing and recycling. In the last 2 years, more than 100 Indigo presses have been recovered and remanufactured as Certified Pre-Owned, reusing more than 90% of the parts.
Ahead of Drupa, we unveil the pioneering LEPx technology through the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press. This innovation empowers brands to streamline their supply chain and mitigate inventory obsolescence, opening new avenues for optimization.
We also announced the launch of the HP Sustainability Amplifier programme in collaboration with printers and converters. This programme enables them to accelerate their sustainability agenda and offer more sustainable prints. The programme, in collaboration with HP’s Sustainable Impact Strategy, aligns with HP’s commitment to renewable energy and reducing CO2 emissions.
Since drupa has not been held for about 8 years, what do you expect from the show this year for HP Indigo and for the entire industry in a global scale?
After 8 years we are very excited to be in drupa again. HP Indigo’s ambition for drupa 2024 is to showcase in depth and comprehensive solutions, aiming at answering customer needs and enabling a variety of new opportunities and capabilities, especially the management of larger amounts of jobs. The HP booth will be a must see to understand how to optimize printing and production workflows, save energy and waste, and how HP Indigo’s digital presses meet sustainability requirements for printers, converters and brand owners.
This year, we are proud to showcase our latest advancements in printing technology, which enable us to surpass previous limitations and redefine industry standards. Our cutting-edge presses mark a significant milestone as we strive to eliminate the traditional break-even point between digital and flexographic printing. Moreover, we recognize that exceptional presses alone are insufficient. Thus, our focus extends to the integration of Artificial Intelligence, poised to revolutionize the printing landscape as we currently perceive it. This heralds a new era wherein presses will operate autonomously, and Print Workflows will seamlessly connect, automate, and orchestrate processes from creation to delivery.
From an industry wide perspective, we expect to see digital, automation and sustainability to be at the center of businesses. HP Indigo, in close collaboration with partners, is committed to continue to lead the industry transformation from conventional process to digitalised production processes and to take it to the next level.
Anything would you like to highlight?
Our portfolio launch at drupa defines the industry standard for automation and sustainability, reflecting HP Indigo’s vision for the print production floor. Our LEP and LEPx technologies are constantly evolving, and have improved in terms of quality, versatility, productivity, sustainability, and economics. Our commitment and significant investment into continuous innovation has enabled over 5,000 printers and converters to expand their businesses and grow sustainably.
On the ground at drupa, visitors will have the opportunity to witness firsthand 11 of HP Indigo’s presses. We will also showcase how HP collaborates with its partner companies – over 25 – and incorproate more than 20 unique automation solutions. Visitors will have access to the fundamental printing technologies driving the analogue to digital transformation, including HP Indigo LEP/LEPx and full, automated production lines.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you at drupa, in HP’s booth at Hall 17, to experience these innovations firsthand and meet the team behind them. See you in Düsseldorf!
