As Graphic Dimensions scouted for a way to diversify and grow its business, it saw opportunity in the thriving labels and packaging industry. The company, which traditionally prints business and marketing documents, moved its Atlanta location to a larger 65,000 square foot facility nearby to make room for supplementary label printing services in November 2012. The new facility is spacious enough to house its current equipment, the newly added HP Indigo WS6600 Digital Press, as well as more presses in the future.
“We are expecting the division to increase our sales by 30 percent in its first year,” says Bill Reid, director of marketing, Graphic Dimensions, Inc. “We have been pleasantly surprised by the response received since launching New Dimension Labels and look forward to growing even more throughout 2013.”
The web-fed HP Indigo WS6600 Digital Press prints at a top speed of 130 linear feet per minute in Enhanced Productivity Mode, generating labels with superior quality at the highest crossover point versus analog for most jobs. The press also supports the widest media range, so Graphic Dimensions can print on a variety of synthetic and paper substrates from 0.5 to 18 points thick.
Along with speed and versatility, another deciding factor for Graphic Dimensions was color quality and registration. HP Indigo matches up to 97 percent of the Pantone color gamut, with a maximum of seven ink stations on the press. Additionally, One Shot Color technology ensures that each print matches exactly to the next while laying down all color separations simultaneously in a single pass.
“The color quality of our labels is an essential part of our business,” says Reid. “The registration using the HP Indigo WS6600 is perfect on every single label with no dot gain. That was a big selling point for us.”
Developing a New Dimension
Graphic Dimensions invested in a robust marketing plan to attract new clients and hired knowledgeable industry veterans to oversee the division.
Variable data printing on the HP Indigo WS6600 Digital Press enables Graphic Dimensions to print unique text, barcodes, as well as images on consecutively printed labels without the effort and cost associated with plate changes used in flexographic printing processes. In the first month of opening New Dimension Labels, the company received orders with more than 20 different SKUs, which would have been expensive to produce on a traditional analog press.
“The key to gaining new business is educating our distributers on the power of what digital can do for labels,” says Reid. “With the HP Indigo WS6600, we have the flexibility to offer just-in-time manufacturing, seasonal labels and the ability to change products as needed to effectively adapt to market conditions.”
“We found that HP has a very strong infrastructure,” says Reid. “We talked with people from HP throughout the process, from preplanning to marketing and sales support. With HP, you are partnering with the company as opposed to just buying a piece of equipment.”
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