Passion Meets Integrity with new HP Indigo 5000

High-end commercial digital printing company, PMI, installs the first HP Indigo top of the range engine in Australia.


The Melbourne-based PMI, which is the digital arm of old-established printing company, Ellikon Printers, represents the future direction of the industry, according to director Chris Zapris (28) (Pictured at left with Tim Farrell, Southern Region Sales Manager - Digital, Currie & Company)


“This is where companies will be in ten to fifteen years time. Our company has an innovative record and we have tracked digital printing technology over the past two Drupas. Since 1998 PMI’s digital volume increased substantially to the stage where we wanted a unit that could deliver higher capacity and be able to meet our customers’ expectations.

“Our decision to go with the HP Indigo 5000 from Curries was based on three main areas; uncompromising quality, the ability to print on a wide range of media, and producing sophisticated products by utilising seven-colour inking stations,” said Zapris.

He believes the digital printing market is splitting into two areas – digital document printing (product and training manuals), and digital offset printing – short-run publications, brochures and personalised marketing collateral. PMI is targeting the commercial printing sector where he sees the Indigo ‘electro-ink’ printing technology delivering a better quality result than toner-based systems.

While recognising that there are differences between offset and the high-end printing from his HP Indigo 5000, he claims that on some type of jobs the quality from the digital engine is superior.

“We have offset printers who are in absolute awe of the print quality we are producing,” he said. “Digital printing has never been at this level before”.

Building on the 30-year offset printing tradition of the family firm, Ellikon Printers, PMI (which are the initials of the company motto -– Passion Meets Integrity) has developed a sophisticated print fulfilment business model that bridges all the gaps.

In deciding whether a specific job is suitable for digital or offset reproduction, Chris maintains the deciding factor is time more than price. “It’s about fulfilling customers’ on-demand expectations. With our offset division to lean on, it’s easy for us to offer a seamless service. We cover the entire market spectrum – On Demand”

The HP Indigo 5000 is now in its third week of operation at the Fitzroy facility and Chris could not be happier with the high level and quality of engineering support provided by Curries.

The move into high-end commercial digital printing is a major step for PMI, but it is only one of a number of developments under way. Chris Zapris makes no secret that he has his eyes on expanding the business with a likely move to Sydney within the next 12 months.

The print fulfilment market in Australia is about to see the bar being lifted.