While the new range was officially launched this week, the Leeds-based wide-format and signage specialist first heard of its development a year ago. The company ordered the machine from reseller Perfect Colours essentially sight unseen late last year, having been “blown away” in virtual demos and with the image quality of the prints from the test files that were sent.
Managing director Nathan Swinson-Bullough said the firm had been looking to replace its high-end Durst Lambda laser photographic printer, which it had been running for well over two decades.
However, despite beginning to search for a replacement two or three years ago he said that he hadn’t found an inkjet machine that could rival its image quality.
“We looked at a lot of machines, but the closest was probably our current Latex [570].
“But when we saw the samples from the new machine, which also puts an overcoat on so that the backlits don’t scratch, and the quality it produced, well, you can’t see a dot, it looks photographic.
“When we saw this, we thought ‘Hallelujah!’.”
The firm opted for the flagship model in the range, the eight-colour plus white HP Latex 800W and the new machine is scheduled to arrive in the middle of February.
The mammoth Lambda and its processor have already been decommissioned at its Leeds base, with the walls knocked down in the room that housed it to create more factory space.
However, Swinson-Bullough said the Lambda is such an important part of the firm’s history he’s looking at getting its massive RGB lasers and other bits converted into table for the reception area.
“It’s been the backbone of Imageco for so long, we want to do something with it.”
However, he said he “couldn’t wait” for the new Latex 800W to arrive, lauding it for the flexibility it would offer the business.
"The machine is extremely versatile; importantly for us, it can produce the backlit film for gaming and retail, but we will also be using it to service lots of other applications," he said, singling out areas such as interior wallpapers, lightbox fabric and window graphics work.
"The list of what we can produce on the 800W is almost endless; we love to push ourselves and will get as creative as possible with the new machine."
When it arrives, the new machine will join an HP Latex 570, 3.2m-wide EFI Vutek, a Durst Rho 320 and raft of cutters, sewing machines and other finishing kit at the circa 30-staff business.
Like many businesses, Imageco has made use of the furlough scheme during the pandemic and pivoted production into a number of areas in 2020, including the production of PPE, but Swinson-Bullough said record results in 2019 had given it a good buffer and he had a “great team”, so he remained optimistic about the future.
“We’re looking at big projects now for March and April, there’s some retail stuff going on, we’ve some stuff going to Canada, the US and Europe.
“So, we’re positive, we’ve got some ideas where the Latex can take us – it’s all good.”
