Case study from HP

Fleet Branding Solutions provider OPG has added a new HP Latex 3200 wide-format printer to its Lanarkshire headquarters, adding to its three existing HP Latex 570 systems - with 'wonderful' results since its installation in July 2019.

A specialist in fleet vehicle graphics, OPG provides a full service to its customers from consultation and design, installation, and removal at the end of a graphic's life. Its client base includes both end users and manufacturers of fleet vehicles, with giant-scale projects - such as 15.6m-long refrigerated trailers for transporting food products - everyday work for the team. Many of these vehicle graphics are intended for semi-permanent use of up to eight years, so must be fade-resistant, robust, durable and provide protection for the paintwork underneath. For these initial reasons, OPG chose HP Latex ink and the HP Latex 570 printer when augmenting its more traditional electro-cut vinyl graphics portfolio - a set-up which also the delivers the excellent image quality and colour consistency required by demanding corporate customers. Moreover, HP Latex offers sustainability - 'a big plus' for ISO 14001-certified OPG, according to Alan Watson, General Manager. "The water-based formulation of HP Latex ink is positive both in terms of environmental credentials and health and safety, which more and more of our customers are demanding," he says. "Graphics printed with Greenguard Gold-certified HP Latex ink, on more sustainable media such as 3M Envision non-PVC print film, in-house by an ISO 14001 business, is a credible green option for our customers." Therefore, when OPG was seeking to boost production with a larger machine, it chose another HP Latex system: the 3.2metre-wide HP Latex 3200. Designed to support higher volume printing, the HP Latex 3200 Printer is a great fit for fleet vehicle graphics businesses such as OPG, enabling them to produce high-quality vehicle graphics at an impressive speed. The printer is also suitable for general graphics applications such as retail/outdoor advertising, events/exhibitions and interior décor. Alan Watson comments: "The HP 3200 is the machine we've been waiting for. It's wonderful. We absolutely love it. "We like its productivity; not just how fast it prints - although it is very fast - but also the general increase in uptime we've experienced since its installation. Its design is focused on a production environment, with ease of operation and ease of loading, and all the information for the operator to hand including updates on the state and health of the machine." He adds: "There are additional environmental benefits in that there is minimal waste; just one linear metre each time we load the roll, which are savings that add up. Crucially, the colour consistency when tiling large-scale vehicle graphics is excellent - the 3200 is achieving corporate colours that CMYK would struggle with - and the quality is stunning." Alan Watson says the quality and colour consistency of print is more important than ever, with customers' expectations now much higher than they were ten years ago. "Technology has moved on incredibly and high-quality imaging is everywhere you look - high-definition televisions, cinema screens, smartphones. People expect the same level of quality from printed graphics." The HP Latex 3200 printer was supplied by Papergraphics, who worked with OPG on the major installation project. The OPG building required structural work, overseen by a structural engineer, to accommodate the large system and delivery was required to take place within a tight window to ensure a safe work environment. "We had in-depth discussions with Papergraphics on risk management, safety and quality, and the experience was seamless and painless," says Alan. "They provided a great service."