Australian trade printer, CMYKhub, has made its first foray into labels with the investment in a HP Indigo 6K Digital Press, while also beefing up its wide format capabilities with a new hybrid 3.2m wide EFI VUTEk h5 through Currie Group.

Also included in the swag of investments was a ABG Digicon Series 3 label finishing line which will be set up in a near line arrangement to handle the labels output from the HP Indigo 6K Digital Press.

CMYKhub CEO Dayne Nankervis said the HP Indigo 6K Digital Press and the ABG Digicon Series 3 combination is CMYKhub’s entry into labels and has come in response to surging customer demand.

“We’ve supported our customers previously by outsourcing to other label businesses or referring customers on, but this is our first foray inhouse into labels. We are getting a lot of work coming through now, so it is time to have our own capability,” Nankervis said.

The addition of the HP Indigo 6K Digital Press, which will run out of CMYKhub’s Melbourne site, adds to a growing stable of HP Indigo technology now owned by the printer. The list includes two HP Indigo 100K Digital Presses, two HP Indigo 7r Digital Presses and a HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press which are located across the country.

Nankervis said reliability is critical to CMYKhub’s operation and its relationship with Currie Group was integral in each of these significant purchases.

“Uptime and serviceability are critical to us so Currie Group and HP’s ability to keep these machines running is a big plus. We have an extensive relationship with HP and Currie Group. Our operational staff also know the HP Indigo machines so it is a lot easier for us to cross train,” Nankervis said.

“In terms of the quality of the product, we already have belief in the system that HP runs. The flatness of the print will be suitable for us and then there is the ABG connection. We were really worried about the finishing and ABG’s connection to Currie Group and extensive partnership with HP was a selling point for us.”

Nankervis said the ABG converting line could connect to the HP Indigo 6K Digital Press but for CMYKhub’s purposes it will be kept separate in a near-line formation.

“We will run it near-line and we will always run near line. We will end up with multiple finishing lines for this,” he said.

Nankervis added stepping into labels is all about continuing to deliver for CMYKhub customers.

“We have a significant customer base, and our customers request products and labels is something we definitely get requests for. We added wide format as customers were requesting that we add it, so now we are adding labels due to the request of customers,” Nankervis said.

The purchase of an EFI VUTEk h5 hybrid roll-to-roll and flatbed printer is also the first piece of EFI kit CMYKhub has invested in with production speed and its hybrid functionality a key attraction.