Printbureau has installed the HP Latex R530 at its West Yorkshire facility to enable direct-to-substrate printing
Hebden Bridge-based design, print and marketing company Printbureau has upgraded its wide-format production capabilities with an HP Latex R530 hybrid printer. Purchased through approved HP partner Papergraphics, the investment aims to reduce the firm’s environmental footprint whilst expanding services into new retail and industrial packaging markets.
Operating for 18 years, Printbureau serves clients across the retail, manufacturing and education sectors. Its portfolio spans packaging design, marketing campaigns, wall art, vehicle wraps and large-format printing. Rising demand for shorter lead times and a corporate drive to improve sustainability prompted the upgrade.
The HP Latex R530 functions as a compact all-in-one rigid and flexible printer, running at speeds up to 24 square metres per hour in indoor mode. It accommodates rigid boards up to 1.6 metres wide and 5 centimetres thick. Utilising three-litre ink cartridges, the platform features a configuration of CMYK, light cyan, light magenta and high-opacity white for applications ranging from window manifestations to exhibition graphics.
The hybrid system allows the company to transition away from multi-layered plastic production methods. Mike Dumbreck, Director of Printbureau, said, ‘The main aim was to improve our environmental impact as we currently mount all of our external and internal signage using vinyl. We also wanted to improve on production time and efficiency, as well as offer more bespoke product ranges’.
Operating alongside an existing HP Latex 560 roll-to-roll printer, which has run for over eight years, the R530 enables direct-to-substrate printing. The white ink eliminates previous multi-step workflows, such as printing onto clear vinyl and mounting it to white acrylic backings, reducing manual handling and quality risks. Printbureau now intends to use the platform to explore printing onto wood and organic packaging boards.
Dumbreck added, ‘We would like to offer more services such as POS for the retail sector and window graphics. With the use of white ink, the printer will let us produce eye-catching graphics, while I would also like to print onto wood and more natural products including packaging and boxes. On top of this, the new machine will also allow us to produce acrylic panels with stunning results’.
Reflecting on the hardware brand, Dumbreck noted that their older latex system made the choice straightforward, concluding, ‘I love the brand and the existing machine has been a great workhorse, so HP will always be my go-to. With the fantastic support of Papergraphics and my confidence in the HP brand, this will hopefully deliver some amazing opportunities for my business’.
