Wide Format Imaging

HP has announced that its 2008 drupa trade show exhibit highlighting the company's industry leadership, innovation, and commitment to customer success, was the most successful drupa exhibit in HP's history. Purchase contracts completed at the 14-day show were led by a significant number of HP Indigo digital press deals, in addition to sales of HP Scitex and HP Designjet wide-format solutions as well as HP SmartStream workflow systems. Drupa, which was held in Düsseldorf, Germany from May 29-June 11, is the world's largest graphic arts exposition; the HP stand at drupa featured the industry's largest digital color portfolio and was the exposition's third-largest stand overall.

In addition to its sales activity, HP also secured an impressive amount of leads for HP Specialty Printing Systems original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partnerships and for the new HP Inkjet Web Press. HP also signed several new letters of intent for HP Inkjet Web Press beta installations.

"Drupa 2008 exceeded our high expectations in terms of demonstrating the strength of our graphics portfolio," said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Graphics and Imaging Business, HP. "High-volume digital color printing showed its strength as the most important source of growth for the global graphic arts industry, and HP is proud to be a leading worldwide solutions supplier for this growth trend."

HP's presence in the digital color production printing industry stems from its 2002 acquisition of Indigo, the company that launched the digital color printing revolution 15 years ago. HP commemorated the anniversary of the first digital color production press in a reception with Indigo founder Benny Landa on drupa's opening day. HP's Indigo division recorded sales during drupa that reflect digital's rapid expansion, including a number of multiple-press deals.

HP recorded the most valuable single purchase contract in Indigo history during drupa, a deal for the installation of as many as 36 HP Indigo presses to North American firm Consolidated Graphics. The HP Indigo press installation will enable Consolidated Graphics to meet rapidly growing demand for photobooks and digitally printed direct marketing materials.