Innovative Labeling Solutions Ramps Up in Flexible Packaging

June 7, 2016 - BOB LEAHEY, WhatTheyThink

For anyone who needs reminding, the HP Indigo 20000 is a rare bird. First sighted at HP Indigo’s drupa 2012 booth, it’s a 30" electrophotographic web press costing well over $1 million. It is also the only color digital press specifically designed for flexible packaging; without HP Indigo, that application would still be nearly all printed in analog.

We recently had the chance to interview Innovative Labeling Solutions (ILS), a development partner to HP Indigo and likely the most experienced user of the HP Indigo 20000. How does ILS use the HP Indigo 20000 now? What effect has the printer had on the company’s business? What’s the outlook for this type of digital printing at ILS and elsewhere? We put these and other questions to ILS CEO Jay Dollries. 

ILS installed HP the Indigo 20000 at its Hamilton, OH, facility in March 2014. The press has been running two and even three shifts five days per week since that time, and the company installed a second 20000 in late January 2016.

“We’re happy with the 20000. In fact, the heavy use of the original unit is what spurred us to invest in a second one,” Dollries said. “The 20000 has been profitable for us, and not just for flexible packaging... 

Read the full article at WhatTheyThink.