The company chose the HP Latex R530 hybrid printer, to support diverse signage projects and sustainability goals
Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral has installed a new HP Latex R530 hybrid printer from Papergraphics.
Ian Furlong and Louise Sergent bought the Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral franchise last year as an established business, having been operating since the late 1990s. They immediately recognised the benefits of investing in the first hybrid at the centre, adding the flexibility of roll-to-roll and flatbed in one package. This new addition supports their plans to grow the business and develop new opportunities.
The company delivers a full range of interior and exterior signage, vehicle graphics, bespoke solutions, exhibition and display materials and more. The need for versatility and flexibility led them to the new HP Latex R530, having seen the machine in action at the HP Graphics Experience Centre.
Ian and Louise said, “We actually saw it on a trip with Papergraphics to HP’s Barcelona HQ and were really impressed. Both of us class HP as being the market leader. We picked up on how the machine can print onto a range of different materials, as well as the quality of the print on these different substrates. We also very much liked how the machine could print direct to board, which will help us towards achieving our sustainability goal.”
Running at a top speed of 31 sq. m/hr, the HP Latex R530 is a compact, all-in-one rigid and flexible printer. It can print on boards up to 1.6m wide and 5cm thick, supporting users across work including indoor and outdoor signage and window graphics and décor, while its three-litre ink cartridges allow customers to print in both colour and white.
The printer, which was installed at the end of April 2025 by approved HP distributor Papergraphics, has only been in place a short time at Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral, but the company has wasted little time in utilising the machine to grow its offering. The HP Latex R530 is the first model to be installed in the UK across the entire Signs Express franchise network but it is not the first HP Latex printer at Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral.
The company had previously invested in a Latex 800W and CWT application table with Papergraphics, to great success, so it was a logical decision to maintain the relationship.
The sustainability of HP Latex ink technology played a major part in Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral opting to invest in the new machine. All HP Latex machines run water-based HP Latex inks, which have a much lower impact on the planet than their UV, solvent and eco solvent counterparts.
“The environmental credentials of the inks are very positive for our customers, and HP inks seem to be much better than the competition in that regard,” Ian commented. “This was key for us as being environmentally friendly is important for our forward strategy. Add in that the centre did not previously have a flatbed printer and this hybrid machine was the perfect fit.”
“We’re looking to branch into more media options with the hybrid aspect. The HP Latex R530 will definitely help the business grow, allowing us to offer different services that we could not previously carry out,” Ian and Louise said.