RES Distribution has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for the BEST-Color RIP for Hewlett-Packard ink-jet printers.


It has also won the distribution for the BEST range of calibrated thermal ink-jet proofing media.
BEST dominates the ink-jet proofing market. Well sell hundreds over the next few months, said RES managing director Robin East. Its a nail in the coffin for Digital Cromalin and Iris.


The move has enabled users to choose between HP thermal ink-jet or Epson piezo for contract proofing applications, which have previously been dominated by Epson.


HP has sustained a strong presence in the imposition proofing market due to its speed, but until now the range of third-party proofing RIPs has been more limited. Weve been incredibly successful in the piezo market but HP-loyal people havent been buying our RIP, said Guideline managing director Ian Scott.


Guideline has sold more than 1,100 copies of the BESTColor RIP in the UK, making serious inroads
into the contract proofing market.
Scott said: Why would you buy a Digital Cromalin or an Iris today? Proofs off these ink-jets actually look more like a press sheet.
Brand is important, but at the end of the day, are customers willing to pay
for Cromalin written on
the back of the proof?
In London yes, outside London, no.


RES is putting together a 4,995 bundle for resellers with the BEST XXL RIP and a Dell workstation that includes training and ICC profiling to match the proofs to a desired target such as
a press. This is on top of the cost of the HP DesignJet 5000, which starts at around 7,500.


Story by Barney Cox