One of the UK’s oldest photographic laboratory, Coventry-based One Vision Imaging said it believed the £300,000 Indigo 5600 had finally reached the quality required to reproduce professional photographic images and therefore decided to take the leap into digital imaging with the launch of Vision Impress in August.
The HP printer arrived in August and was shortly joined by finishing equipment from Ashgate Automation a week later.
Vision Impress took on a KAS Paper Systems Crease Matic 150P creaser, Matrix Duo 650 laminator and an Ideal 5221 guillotine.
The package was completed with a Fastbind Elite XT perfect binder and Fastbind Casematic H46Pro casemaker for soft and hardback photobooks, bespoke ring binders and CD and DVD cases.
Vision Impress sales and marketing spokesman Nik Proctor said: "With our reputation in the professional photographic market we needed to ensure that we invested the same in the finishing equipment.
"Years ago photographers would have to source their own finished product. Now all that has changed. We can make a strong suggestion of what should be done with the image, offer a graphic design service and make more economical albums."
He said that One Vision Imaging had previously been spending a "serious amount of money" on outsourcing these services, enough to keep the HP Indigo 5600 busy "for a while".
Vision Impress expects to tap into the digital photographic market by the beginning of 2013 and Proctor said that he would be "delighted" if the company could turn over £500,000 in its first year.
Proctor joined One Vision Imaging at the launch of Vision Impress with a background in the professional photography market but limited knowledge of print.
One Vision Imaging’s managing director Derek Poulston also took on a certified Indigo operator and a graphic designer to deal primarily with the Vision Impress business division in August.
One Vision Imaging is the parent group of Vision Impress, Arena Imaging, a sports industry service and school photography company Simply Schools.
