LAMONT INSTALLS FIRST HP LATEX 2700 IN QLD

Queensland’s first HP Latex 2700 has been installed at Lamont Print and Sign in Townsville, in a $350,000 investment in the company’s new banner printing facility dedicated to billboard, banner and mesh manufacturing.

The Casey Street factory is situated next door to the existing print facility, which will continue to provide resellers in the signage trade in regional Queensland with large and wide-format printing.

Supplied by Smartech, the Latex 2700 adds to the existing fleet of HP devices at Lamont, which has a pair of L1500s, an HP R1000 series, and multiple HP 800W printers.

Owner and founder Stephen Lamont said, “The new dedicated factory is designed around the L2700 as it combines print, finishing and UV coating under the same roof.”

The HP Latex 2700 prints 3.2m media width, for a single roll weighing up to 300kg, and has five-litre colour cartridges for unattended printing. The new printer also has symmetrical double printheads with twice as many nozzles for quality improvement and more accurate pixel control.

Inks cure at lower temperature, so more sensitive media can print much faster. Lamont says it is the "most green" wide-format printer, using water-based HP latex inks, which HP says have no hazardous air pollutants, odourless prints, recyclable ink cartons and heads.

Lamont said he “values the partnership with Smartech and HP for providing installation, training, maintenance and ongoing support. With environmental concerns front of mind, this machine adds to the company’s dedication to sustainability”.

Production manager Dan Lamont added, “This new printer really sets the standard for user friendly operation, with HP's new user interface making operation and training simple and intuitive.”

He said the new printer’s enhanced capabilities will add to the turn around and quality “upon which Lamont has built its reputation”.

Dan Lamont also commented that the new facility sees the company coming full circle. He said, “We literally started our business in the front three offices of 28 Casey Street 18 years ago, when I first left school and entered the family business. After moving out and into larger premises at 30 Casey Street as the business grew, when this facility became available just next door, we jumped at the chance to be back where we started, but now having a combined 1200 square metres.”

Since 2019 Lamont Print & Sign has grown to be what it claims is the largest trade printer in wide-format in regional Queensland, with a staff of 11 full time professionals. The banner and mesh operation is the fastest growing area of the business.