Currie Group makes big bang with Little Bang

With the biggest stand at PacPrint showcasing the full range of its print technologies through a promotion with the Little Bang Brewing Company, Currie Group is hosting a full suite of new technologies, and is unveiling its new corporate look.

The new look and feel at PacPrint aims to reflect the transformation within the company, with the stand quite a visual departure from what’s been done in the past, due to the fresh branding, and also a more solutions-based approach.

The company is running live demonstrations on a selection of technologies within specially-designed engagement spaces, including the much-anticipated HP Indigo 100K Digital Press, the latest in grand-format technology from new partner EFI, plenty of options for finishing and 3D printing, some innovative label and packaging solutions, new finishing equipment, and the launch of xRServices, a new virtual reality servicing system.

“Our aim at PacPrint is to put a strong focus on applications, showing visitors what is possible in a tangible way, then working with them to explore how they can make those possibilities a reality in their own business”, explains CEO Rob Mesaros.

He said, “The HP Indigo 100K Digital Press is a real highlight of the stand, representing the latest evolution of what has become the benchmark for high quality digital presses."

Currie Group says the new HP Indigo 100K will drive analogue to digital conversion. Anthony 'AJ' Jackson, national sales manager – commercial HP Indigo, at the company said, "The reliability, easy operation, and proven technology will drive print to the 6000sph HP Indigo 100K press."

While the 7K model also on the stand will be familiar to many, the new 100K – being hailed by Currie Group as a “breakthrough” press with non-stop print capability – is new to the A/NZ market. “This press can not only boost margins on short runs, but also help businesses tap into new digital markets to secure long-term business gains,” Mesaros said. “It’s already generating a huge amount of interest, with a couple of orders even placed ahead of its release.

Other highlights on the Currie Group stabd include the market introduction of the new EFI Pro 30h – a 3.2-metre hybrid flatbed / roll-fed LED entry-level production printer, which will be supported by "an extensive showcase" of wide format applications for sign and display.

Paul Whitehead, Sign & Display business unit manager at Currie Group said, “This machine can print to a diverse array of substrates, both rigid and flexible, using environmentally-friendly LED imaging technology to produce superior image quality, helping businesses extend their capabilities into the sign and display space, with a versatile, productive machine at an attractive price point."

In the label and packaging space, an HP Indigo 6K Digital Press with its established credentials in high-speed digital label and packaging production, is joined by an ABG Digicon Lite 3, which the company says is a “compact and easy to use” digital label finishing machine which can operate in-line or as a stand-alone unit “to provide versatile solutions” including foiling, varnishing, slitting, scoring and sheeting. Mark Daws, labels and packaging director ANZ at Currie Group said, "The Digicon Lite 3 is the ideal converting unit for anyone looking to enter the labels market."

Currie Group is also giving visitors a sneak peak of the new 120 metres a minute V12 digital label press, which is expected to be available here at the end of next year.

This line-up on the booth is complemented by a range of finishing solutions including the next-generation Horizon BQ-500 iCE perfect binder with cloud based operation, and which can produce 1000 books an hour from 1mm to 60mm thickness. The company also had the new rotary die cutter Horizon RD-N4055, and the new BQ-270 V perfect binder with single knife multi-trimmer.

Launched on the booth was the new xRServices virtual reality servicing, which allows a local operator to enable a remote technician to see exactly what the local person can see, and to be able to instruct him in servicing actions.