It has signed a deal with Konica and will launch a range of machines based on Konica technology by the end of the year.

This broadens our high-end offering and takes it into the low-end of print-for-pay beneath the HP Indigo, said Tom Codd, HP marketing manager for shared products. The robust technology in their copiers is an ideal match for our print language and networking technology.

Konica has black-and-white machines offering up to 85ppm and colour up to 50ppm that are suitable for print-for-pay use, while HPs current products go up to 50ppm black-and-white and 21ppm colour and are designed for workgroup use.

The deal also includes the possibility of HP selling future machines developed by Konica. Konica already has a 60-70ppm colour machine under development (PrintWeek, 24 July).

The firms have been in talks since last summer about the deal. Konicas forthcoming merger with Minolta will not affect the deal.

It is not the first time HP has used Konica technology: its first colour LaserJet from the early 1990s used a Konica engine.