At the opening of Labelexpo Americas, HP has announced it has achieved a milestone of 1,000 HP Indigo press installations worldwide. The company is also showcasing at its booth a number of new technologies designed to decrease turnaround times and help converters grow their businesses, particularly into the flexible packaging market.

“In the 10 years since Indigo and HP signed their first strategic agreement, we have grown our customer base from a small number of pioneers using Indigo technology or label printing to 1,000 HP Indigo presses worldwide using a boad range of labels and packaging applications from HP and our partners,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager for HP’s Indigo division. “This includes 130 installations of our higher-volume HP Indigo WS6000 in more than 30 countries.”

Bar-Shany says that HP Indigo customers will benefit from technological performance upgrades to the WS6000, which is on display at the show. The new WS6000’s will come equipped with 20 new features, including new blankets for better substrate compatability; a new primer designed for synthetic substrates; a new enhancement unit for the photo imaging plate; compatibility with the HP Indigo Print Care diagnostics and maintenance program; and Continuous Color Control, a tool that gives operators added assurance of consistency on long runs.

The new HP Indigo WS6000 digital press features are scheduled to be delivered as free upgrade to existing HP Indigo WS6000 customers starting in the first quarter of 2011.

In addition, Bar-Shany emphasized the company’s focus is “beyond labels.” Also on display, for the first time at a converting industry event, is the sheetfed HP Indigo 5500 for cut-and-stack labeling and folding carton production. A thick substrate kit option for the 5500 gives it the ability to print on board up to 18 points thick, giving converters additional options for digital folding carton production.