Two new HP Indigo 7600s have cut out a rich niche in Blue Star’s Silverwater facility, with the high-speed digital engines driving business for the commercial printing giant. Impressed by the Indigo 7600’s productivity and quality, Blue Star has ploughed an estimated $1.7 million into the new digital operation, with capacity already on the rise by as much as 30% each month.
The first HP Indigo 7600 hit the floor in April, with the second following in October. The investment represents a broader move towards high-end digital print production for Blue Star, picking up new work and maximising its online portals.
Matt Aitken, group general manager print and DM, Blue Star, said, “We’re rapt with the results. The HP Indigo was the right technology fit for Silverwater, running alongside the sheet-fed. We are very happy with the outcome. The quality is right up there with litho, which allows us the freedom to pass work between the different platforms. We can choose the process best suited to the job, confident that the quality will stand up.”
Using its enhanced productivity mode, the HP Indigo 7600 amps up speeds to a blistering 133 colour pages per minute. It run a set of new-generation supplies, from photo imaging plate to binary ink developer, which improves print quality, performance and lifespan, while reducing waste by up to 20% for more sustainable printing.
The digital plant runs a team of twelve across two shifts, with the two engines estimated to be clocking as much as 75% capacity. Aitkens says that the capacity is steadily rising by around 15% month-on-month, with booklet work alone estimated to be growing by as much as 30%.
The plant is a separate self-sustaining operation. According to Aitken, it was built around the two Indigos as its own custom high-end digital printing business, with its own imaging, team and processes ensuring Blue Star can hit the tight turnarounds.
Mark Stevens, head of digital and wide-format, said, “It’s been an easy transition. It’s part of a boarder group strategy to grow the digital footprint for Blue Star. We were seeing a trend of smaller runs, jobs where personalisation was the key. Our web-to-print portal is also growing, and the digital plant was a vital addition. The Indigos were just the missing piece.”
Stevens oversees work on the Indigos at Silverwater and says that crossover between the devices has been important, with operators working multiple machines at the same time. He is quick to praise the team at Currie Group who handled the install.
“They’re great guys. They have a brilliant training facility down in Melbourne. There’s an onsite three-level training program, which our operators have gone through. Over the eight months since the establishment of the digital plant, they’ve been invaluable support to Blue Star,” said Stevens.
A complete end-to-end solution, the two 7600s are backed up by a BQ 270 perfect binder, a 30-bin Horizon three-way stitcher and a couple of Duplos which were picked up from the Geon closure.