Irish print and signage specialist Sign on Time has invested in a new HP Latex R530 hybrid printer to reduce production costs and expand its direct-to-board capabilities.
Diversified printing, signage, and vehicle graphics company Sign on Time has revealed how a recent hardware investment is transforming its business. The company took delivery of a new HP Latex R530 hybrid printer in November, a move that has already helped reduce production costs and open doors into new commercial markets.
Based in Kilcoole, County Wicklow, Sign on Time began operating in 2017 with a vision to build a sign-making business focused on quality, lead times, and customer service. Evolving into a multi-service provider, the company now operates under the tagline ‘Brand it. Print it. Wrap it’. The business serves a varied client base ranging from local tradesmen to corporate businesses. Consistent with its growth strategy, the company continuously looks to strengthen its end-to-end service offering through targeted machinery investments.
Managing Partners Petr Plachy and Jitka Placha have a long affiliation with HP. They purchased their first machine from the manufacturer in 2010—an HP Latex device for a company they ran in their native Czech Republic. The duo has remained loyal to the brand, taking on several machines across various businesses over the past 16 years.
For their latest acquisition, Sign on Time elected for the HP Latex R530. The system is a compact hybrid printer designed to handle both rigid and flexible materials seamlessly. Running at speeds of up to 24 sq m/hr in indoor mode, the device can process boards up to 1.6m wide and 5cm thick, while offering both colour and white ink printing capabilities.
The flexibility of the machine enables users to create a wide variety of applications, including indoor and outdoor signage, wall décor, interior graphics, banners, and vehicle graphics. Furthermore, the R530 utilises water-based HP Latex Inks, which carry environmental certifications such as UL ECOLOGO and have far less impact on the surrounding environment than traditional solvent or UV alternatives.
Petr Plachy comments on the technology choice: “This was a natural continuation of the decision we made back in 2010, when we bought our first HP Latex printer. We believed then, and still do, that the working environment matters, and we preferred water-based inks over solvent inks.”
He adds, “We knew we wanted to move production forward by adding direct-to-board printing, and we were also looking for white ink capability. The R530 felt like a brilliant hybrid solution. After seeing it in person at FESPA Berlin 2025, it was only a matter of time before we made the final decision.”
The company finalised the investment in October 2025 through NTI Digital Solutions Ireland, an approved HP distribution partner. Since the November installation, the production team has used the machine to produce various applications, heavily utilising its direct-to-board printing capabilities.
“Being able to print direct-to-board significantly reduces our production costs, which opens the door to new markets and a wider range of jobs,” Plachy notes. “It makes our pricing more competitive, and it has already helped us win new business. The white ink option opens up new possibilities, especially for clear materials, and we’re committed to learning the machine properly so we can use it to its full potential across a wider range of applications.”
The new HP Latex R530 currently runs alongside several other HP machines at the Kilcoole facility, including an HP Latex 335 (installed in 2018) and an HP Latex 570 (purchased in 2020). While these roll-to-roll machines continue to serve the business well, the company plans to upgrade them to the newer HP Latex 830 and hopes to add an HP Latex FS Series industrial printer in the near future.
“We’ve been in the industry for over 20 years and have remained loyal to HP Latex for the past 16,” Plachy concludes. “It’s been genuinely satisfying to see the progress from our first HP Latex L26500 device to today’s machines. More than anything, it feels like HP listens and continues to improve, which is something we really value in a long-term partner.”