HP-Redington Centre of Excellence in Chennai

Thought process when you set up the demo centre?
HP and Redington India launched India’s first Centre of Excellence (COE) in Chennai in Jan 2017. Redington India made this USD 3-million investment towards their commitment to the digital printing technology and the industry overall. The focus was to provide a superior pre-sale customer experience.

Kit at the academy
The COE  is currently equipped with HP Indigo 5900, 7900 and the latest 12000 digital presses. It also has a wide range pre-press and software solutions including Esko, Haiyaa, Color Logic, Human Eyes, Enfocus and  HP Mosaic. The Centre is also equipped with a wide range of finishing equipment. Customers who visit the COE will have experience of the end-to-end solutions which is very important.

Describe a typical demo that you provide…
It is very difficult to share a typical demo because HP Indigo is having lot of potential and today it has the maximum value output in terms of bringing the best print quality, colour matching and innovative print applications. The COE provides an opportunity to fulfil customer requirements and creating new profitable business opportunities for them. Whenever the customers want to test or create something special and unique, this is the place to deep dive into research and make it possible with the help of experts within the COE.

How many customers have visited the centre to see the kit being operated in action before they decide to invest?
In last one year, many potential customers have come and taken the final decision to invest in HP Indigo. In fact, in a few instances, customers visited the COE and closed the deal in first visit itself. Today many big customers discuss, attain knowledge and develop an expert understanding from this COE. This is helping them in the best possible manner to fulfil their customer requirements and bringing a lot of new innovations.  

In what way do you focus on applications including design, graphics and finishing embellishments?
A sizeable portion of the COE is dedicated for brand owners and print buyers, who can get to see some of the best print applications from across the world and hear the stories behind some of the world’s most successful digital print campaigns. The application gallery also hosts a digital supermarket that has the best of labels and packaging applications. This COE is specifically targeted towards customers who are new to the HP Indigo family of digital offset printing presses. The centre will not only give our customers a hands-on experience of the products but also enhance the technical knowledge, enabling them to make the most out of their HP Indigo presses.

Any special program for training or skill upgradation?
Yes, we conduct training and seminars to ramp up the skill set of our technical teams, machine operators and business development teams. In fact not only covering our internal teams, we also host special programmes for print associations, media suppliers, brand owners, design and marketing agencies, students from printing colleges, existing HP Indigo customers and future prospects.

Do you host an annual show or networking event at the centre?We have a quarterly calendar of activities which includes and covers a lot of initiatives. A team of experts travel from across the world to deliver special workshops and sessions to different set of the audience from time to time. The COE is a facility which has conference rooms, meeting rooms for one on one interaction and training rooms with all the modern facilities. 

Have you planned an outreach with print buyers and brand owners?
The application gallery in COE host a digital supermarket that has the best of labels and packaging applications that can serve as a repository of information to packaging development managers, brand managers, marketing managers and print buyers. We conduct dedicated ‘Discover Workshops’ for brands and brand owners to get the best innovative solutions for their products.

What about apprenticeship for students?
Yes, we are in discussion with colleges and its placement cells on a proposed internship program for students.