What is it?
The Meteor DP8700 XL is the latest member of the Meteor toner-based family of four-colour multi-substrate digital presses. The manufacturer says it has proved popular with customers worldwide including commercial printers, plastic card manufacturers, book printers and photo production facilities
When was it launched?
MGi launched the Meteor DP8700 XL in June this year and debuted the machine at that month’s Grafitec show in Paris. Since then, the French manufacturer has showcased the press at shows such as Graph Expo in the US and at an open-house event at UK distributor MGi Technology in Hemel Hempstead
Who is the system targeted at?
According to Kevin Abergel, director of marketing at MGi, a large number of digital printers have suffered from a ‘me too’ mentality where a saturation of companies offering the same range of print products has helped erode margins.
MGi says that Meteor DP8700 XL customers can capitalise on utilising a digital press for day-to-day applications but also produce a large number of other products.
"We see the Meteor DP8700 XL as a way for companies to offer their customers something different," says Abergel.
What is its USP?
Abergel says MGI decided to develop the Meteor DP8700 XL press, which he considers "conceptually different" from other digital presses, so it could inject margin back into print jobs by competing on applications where they could charge more than for just ink-on-A3-paper.
One area that the manufacturer has been particularly happy with is that customers can use the press to operate in four different market segments: XL-format printing, with the press able to print up to 1,011mm long for applications such as banners and landscape A4 brochures; plastics printing, with the ability to print onto PVC, PET, polycarbonates and vinyl for applications such as hotel keys, gift and loyalty cards; the ability to print envelopes in a variety of formats; and offset personalisation.
What are its other main features?
The DP8700XL can print the standard jobs a digital production press can output and Abergel is keen to stress that the machine is not simply a ‘niche’ press.
Also important is that printers will still be able to print the normal bread and butter jobs, as the Meteor DP8700XL is a production digital press that is designed to compete on everyday applications.
How easy is it to use?
According to Abergel, the machine is not a push-button press, but operators will quickly understand how it works."
Whether an operator comes from an offset press or a pre-press background, MGi’s team of engineers will teach the operator everything he or she needs to know about how to manipulate colours, substrates and formats," he says.
What about training and support?
Training lasts five days and is done on-site. MGi tends to complete the training with some production shadowing, returning later, if needed, for additional training.
MGi’s remote diagnostic tools in conjunction with a webcam also allow certified technicians to walk the operator through most maintenance procedures.
How much does it cost and how many installations have there been?
Anyone looking to buy a Meteor DP8700 XL can expect to shell out £165,000. Since its June launch, there have been nearly 100 installations of the press worldwide. The first UK installation took place at east London-based Print Select, which formed part of a £200,000 spend at the 13-staff company.
SPECIFICATIONS
Speed Up to 4,260 A4/Letter pages/hour or 2,280 A3 pages/hour
Max print area 318x1,011mm
Formats Min: 100x148mm, max: 330x650mm
Resolution 3,600dpi and 270lpi
Substrates Paper, plastic, polycarbonate, vinyl and PET substrates, envelopes
Footprint 5x1.5m (LxW)
Price £165,000
Contact MGi Technology 0845 388 6448 mgitechnology.co.uk, M Partners 020 8835 2221 mpartners.co.uk
ALTERNATIVES
Xerox 1000
Launched at Ipex 2010, the Xerox 1000 can print up to 100 A4 pages per minute on a maximum sheet size of 330x488mm. It can handle stocks ranging from 55-350gsm.
Resolution 2,400x24,00dpi
Stock thickness 55-350gsm
Colours Up to five colours
Speed Up to 100ppm
Price Around £270,000
Contact Xerox 0870 873 4519 www.xerox.co.uk
Kodak Nexpress 2500
The Kodak Nexpress 2500 digital production colour press can output up to 83ppm and is an attractive entry point to digital printing.
Resolution 600dpi
Stock thickness 60-350gsm
Colours Up to five colour
Speed Up to 83ppm
Price £230,000
Contact Kodak 0845 602 5991 www.graphics.kodak.com
HP Indigo 5500
The HP Indigo press 5500 can print up to seven colours enhanced and features optional capabilities including in-line connection to UV coating.
Resolution 800x1200dpi
Stock thickness Up to 350gsm
Colours Up to seven colours
Speed 68ppm colour, 272ppm in mono
Price £355,000
Contact HP 0845 605 6013 www.hp.com
