HP Indigo W7200

Kayu Dhanbhoora the MD of Kolor Kode says the USP of the machine is its versatility which caters to “a very wide range of commercial printing”

28 Nov 2013 | By PrintWeek India

Describe your company.
Bengaluru-based Kolor Kode is an end-to-end provider of digital printing solutions. We offer total print solutions with a wide variety of finishing options for short to medium print runs catering to commercial market and large-format prints, from in-shop branding to vehicle wraps.
Besides a battery of HP Indigo digital presses, Kolor Kode is equipped with the HP Scitex LX800 and HP Designjet L25500 printer for stunning outdoor and indoor applications. Kolor Kode offers binding, punching, case-making, foil stamping, spot UV and lamination services, under one roof. As a company we are committed to employing dedicated staff, investing in the best technology, and maintaining a close involvement with the industry.
 
What does the machine do?
The HP Indigo W7200 is a digital press which provides offset quality at the same cost for up to 1,000 sheets. It caters to print-on-demand applications such as mid- to long-run books, journals, manuals, yearbooks, and magazines with unmatched print quality, at a fast throughput speed.
It supports an image size up to 308x980mm, the press enhances with highly efficient page imposition and media use. It supports a wide range of coverage and paper types, with fine detail, colour consistency and offset print quality.
 
Why did you make the purchase?
Initially when we started with Indigo 5500 we could compete with offset only up to a quantity of 100 to 150 sheets, so we wanted to take this to a much higher level and were looking for a solution that was a more print economical option. A machine which could print very high quality, maintain consistent colour with good print speed, and was economical in print cost. The W7200 was a perfect match for our requirements.
 
Did you look at any other similar machines?
Yes, we had a look at possible solutions while investing in HP Indigo technology but we found none could match the speed and productivity of the W7200 digital offset press. In competitive presses we found lengthy calibration between substrates which slows the productivity for multi-substrate jobs and can’t be skipped. This  is not the case withHP Indigo.


An array of print products at Kolor Kode
 
What features do you particularly like?
The inline priming unit (ILP) is the USP of the press. It primes duplex, allows running on offset stock, and eliminates the need to have pre-treated certified papers.

How fast is it?
The HP Indigo W7200 is a dual engine web-fed press, which can produce 14,400 four-colour A4 sheets per hour. The press can produce more than 7.5 million colour or 30 million monochrome prints per month.
 
What’s the quality like?
The Indigo produces consistent prints and offset matching colour quality. The exceptional high quality is not limited by any substrate type or ink coverage which enables us high coverage of applications. Also, closed loop control over ink conductivity and optical density ensures tight colour consistency within the page, from page to page and also between engines. 
 
Is there anything that you wish it had that it doesn’t?
The only limitation is the width of the machine. The maximum print width is 308mm. I wish the width would have been bigger.
 
How reliable is it?
The machine is very sturdy. The W7200 has been provided with a comprehensive uptime kit and so I have not had to stop the machine for more than a few hours on only two occasions. 
 
How much time or money has it saved?
I cannot define how much money it has saved me but it has certainly saved all my customers a lot of time and money.
 
Has it won you any new work?
Certainly. It has brought us many more new customers. Also, we were able to get more jobs from existing customers where the run length is from 200 to 1,000 books. 
 
Would you say that it offers value for money?
Today we are able to produce a wide range of application, on this single press, catering to publishing, photo, advertising, commercial etc. So, looking at wider possibilities which the press has to offer I am sure it’s value for money, and on top of it we can go on-demand and personalise, adding more value to each job which we deliver to the client.
 
Were there any difficulties experienced during the installation or after?
No. The installation was very smooth. We started commercial production in 20 days of the machine arriving at our unit. 
 
What about the pre- and after-sales service?
As we have a comprehensive uptime kit at our place, there have been no issues.
 
Who do you think the machine is right for?
It is ideal for any commercial printer catering to the small to medium print run market.
 
Under what circumstances would you buy another?
Maybe when the bigger print-size machine is launched.

Conclusion
User’s verdict
Speed 4/5
Quality 5/5
Reliability  4/5
Value for money 3/5
 
Supplier’s Response
A Appadurai, country business manager at HP India, says, “Kolor Kode has been one of the most note-worthy customer of HP’s graphic solution business. It installed the first HP Indigo 7200 press of India, after the overwhelming success it had with the HP Indigo 5500 press. The HP Indigo 7200 press pushes the cross-over point between digital and offset to much higher levels and it is super-productive.  Kolor Kode has also built an excellent pre- and post-press set-up, which is critical for the success of digital business. Beyond the technology and the experience the biggest reason for  Kolor Kode’s success is their customer service. Kolor Kode has executed some of the most complex print jobs with absolute ease and at reasonable prices.” 
 
Contact
HP India
A Appadurai
+91 9958880356
appadurai.a@hp.com