HP Indigo division reports record performance in 2007

HP has reported record-breaking annual growth for its Indigo division and has announced that the fourth quarter was the division’s best on record. Driven by dynamic page growth as well as strong sales in the EMEA, APJ and NA regions, the division experienced continued success as it extended the reach of digital printing and publishing platforms across a number of segments, including HP Indigo’s core marketing collateral market and fast-growing segments such as photo merchandise printing, book publishing, labels and packaging and direct mail.

HP Indigo page growth increased 45 percent overall from 2006 to 2007, with fourth-quarter page growth growing by 46 percent year over year.

’A significant part of HP’s Print 2.0 strategy focuses on enhancing the print production solutions provided to our graphic arts customers,’ said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo division, HP. ‘In 2007, many successful print service providers experienced how they could create a competitive advantage and drive profit using HP Indigo solutions in a number of dynamic, growing digital printing markets.’

Internally, the HP Indigo division supported its increased demand by initiating two major operations: a new, highly efficient Six Sigma-governed digital press systems plant in Kiryat Gat, Israel, and a previously announced HP ElectroInk manufacturing process that both increases the rate of ink production and reduces the energy consumed in the ink-making process.

With the new digital press systems plant, HP is able to scale its operations to meet demand for specific press models. Each assembly line in the larger, 18,400 square foot facility is able to produce any one of HP’s current Indigo press models. In the original HP Indigo press-making plant, each press model has its own assembly line.