Melbourne-based Nulab Group completely revolutionises production with not one but two new HP Indigo 7600s. After more than 40 years at the top of its game, the multi-award winning photographic print specialist replaces its entire silver halide set-up with the high-speed digital engines, and expanding the business further into corporate and point-of-sale work.
Nulab caters to the professional photographic market, with exacting quality demands. It has also led the charge into the commercial photobook space since picking up its first HP Indigo 5500 six years ago. Michael Warshall, Nulab owner and executive director, tells Print21 that the push into digital has helped revitalise the photographic industry with new ideas and business opportunities.
“The two Indigo 7600s print the equivalent to ten digital silver halide printers. For the professional level work we do our customers are very fussy about quality, there’s just nothing else on the market that can do that. But they’re also able to offer exciting new products that have never existed before. In the photo business it can be difficult to differentiate. People still want beautiful photography, but I also need to show them something new,” he says.
On top of picking up the existing pro and photobook work, Nulab’s new Indigo 7600s are fully configured with seven ink stations and white ink, spot varnish, raised print, opening up new possibilities for Warshall. To take up the workload, the two Indigo 7600s have been specced up with double feeders and collectors to maximise throughput and already loaded with a range of premium substrates from metallic papers, to oyster pearl and matte.
“They’ve been running about five weeks now, normal printing, testing and fine-tuning the ancillaries. The white ink has been great, we’ve used that for high-end variable data work on agency jobs, printing on black paper. We’re learning about all the different finishing options. Nulab produces a premium product,” says Warshall.
He adds that once he was confident the presses could deliver the quality, he was also impressed by the environmental benefits of the Indigos over silver halide. Warshall goes on to thank the team at Currie Group for their support in getting the new machines on the ground, and working closely with the Nulab team.
“Their service is fantastic. They have a level of expertise in equipment that we have in colour, so together it creates a great match. I’ve been in the silver halide business for 40 years, and this is totally different so it’s important to have good partners,” said Warshall.
Installation of the first press kicked off mid-March, with the second following about three weeks later. He confirms the plan is to decommission all the silver halide printers starting from June.