Scitex Vision claims it is opening up a new market for high quality extra-wide format print with its XLjet printer.

The market is moving in two directions, said vice president marketing Jean Marc Blum. The low end is looking at low cost and long runs. The high end, which is new when talking about super-wide, wants higher resolution, six-colour quality and a range of media for the indoor market.

The XLjet is a six-colour printer with 740dpi resolution in 2.2m, 3m and 5m widths.

As well as the high-quality indoor market, the XLjet can produce high volume exterior work at up to 86m2 per hour in four-colour mode.

Other features include the ability to print in register on both sides of the sheet for images that are front lit during the day and backlit at night.

The 5m-wide machine can also take up to three rolls of media at the same time for simultaneous printing of narrower jobs.

For increased flexibility it can also print to drop, rather than the media being fed on to a take-up roll, allowing jobs to be finished straight after printing.

The firm is keeping the Grandjet S for high-volume exterior applications, and is offering an upgrade to allow the multi-roll and backlit features.

The XLjet will be available in the fourth quarter. Prices range from about 140,000 ($200,000) for the 2m-wide machine to 312,000 for the 5m-wide version.

Story by Barney Cox