The V12, first announced in March 2020 and delayed months by supply chain issues and work from home constraints, will be available to buy in the UK from the second half of 2023.

The digital press has been designed to cover around 70-80% of a label converter’s job basket, according to Eli Mahal, head of labels and packaging marketing at HP Indigo, covering the same work as two or three flexo presses.

The V12’s total cost of ownership, therefore, including press and ink costs, will be roughly equivalent to those two or three machines, he said.

Running at 120 linear metres per minute at 1,600dpi with up to six colours, the press has been designed to target medium and long runs, but with the benefit of just-in-time production methods.

This flexibility, Mahal said, means printers could cut media waste and inventory scrap, benefitting from a more agile supply chain without compromising on their production quality.

The V12 will have 12 on-press ink stations, eliminating the need for ink changeovers, and uses HP’s liquid electrophotography (LEP) technology to deliver it to substrate.

Beta testing will start immediately with an undisclosed number of companies around the world, among which is German converter All4Labels, which will install one at its base in Trittau.

Massimiliano Martino, CTO at All4Labels, said the V12 would prove “one of the most revolutionary, sustainable and versatile digital production technologies for the labelling and packaging industry.”

He added: “Together with HP we are now ready to shape a new era of digital printing by welcoming the HP Indigo V12 digital press into our core of operations.”