HP announces creative printers network

The association, open to HP Indigo users PSPs addressing the creative market will offer both marketing support and know-how training exclusively to the members.

The site also makes it possible for publishers, organisations and self-publishing end-users to find information on HP Indigo owner who produce six-colour premium quality digital printing and fine, sewn bindings for their books. Using a web-to-print interface, books created with standard professional graphic design software can be sent as PDF files to printers for production.

With book production runs falling at the same time that the number of published titles is rising, digital book printing is a fast and cost-effective way to bring books to market. The ability of HP Indigo digital presses to print on a wide variety of substrates means that publishers and book designers can specify coated and uncoated papers of their choice. Book durability is no longer a concern, either: tests carried out by Wilhelm Imaging Research have rated HP Indigo print on Felix Schöller E-Photo Paper for >200 years in Album/Dark storage conditions.)

Beginning with the book publishing section of the network, HP is supporting its customers and helping them to leverage the growing demand in self-publishing. The self-publishing trend, already strong in the United States, is spreading to Europe. In France, "l’auto-edition" services, websites and web-to-print facilities are now a part of the publishing scene. Helping printing houses and professional labs capture business from this trend is one of the goals of the network.

The network also offers facilities for sharing knowledge and best practice. Technical forums, joint communication tools, and the ability to work with others to develop new applications as well as to promote their businesses and successes will be features of the site.

Visitors to the HP stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair will be able to see examples of art books printed and finished by HP customers, and learn for themselves what high quality digital book printing really means.