Get Your Free ISA Expo Pass Today

Before you can meet us under the LexJet big top, you’ll need to grab a free ISA Sign Expo pass at signexpo.org using code LEX524. ISA’s Sign Expo 2016 takes place April 20-23 in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., where you’ll meet the top names in the wide-format sign and graphics industry.

carnival logoOnce on the showroom floor, you’ll see signs below leading you to LexJet’s carnival booth #2197, where you’ll find amazing applications and samples utilizing a wide variety of media, as well as the newest prize-worthy printers from HP, Epson and Canon.

Under the big top, you’ll find games and good times as well as media for signage, banners, posters and wall graphics from all your favorite brands: LexJet, HEYtex, panoRama, HP, York and more.

So step right up and join the fun — you won’t want to miss our show specials on printers and media! We look forward to joining you under the LexJet big top next month in Orlando. Call us at 800-453-9538 for more information.

GBC Introduces High-Quality, Competitively Priced Wide Format Laminator Line

New laminators from GBCDue to be available and shipping from LexJet in July, GBC’s new SPIRE laminator line brings durable, high-quality construction at a lower price point for a variety of print shop needs.

Introduced at last week’s International Sign Expo, GBC revealed the first three machines in the SPIRE line. Eight new modular-designed units will be released throughout the year in SPIRE I, SPIRE II, SPIRE III platforms with the possibility of a SPIRE IV line. The three new machines that will be available in June include:

  • SPIRE II 54C: Preliminarily priced at around $4,500, it’s a 54″ mid-range cold laminating system with a 1.375″ mounting gap, foot pedal and speeds to 16 feet per minute
  • SPIRE III 64C: Preliminarily priced at around $9,400, it’s a 64″ premium cold laminating system with top heat assist, 2″ mounting gap, and speeds to 16 feet per minute
  • SPIRE III 44T: Preliminarily priced at around $8,900, it’s a 44″ thermal laminating system featuring full top and bottom heat up to 300 degrees F, 2″ mounting gap, cold capability with heat assist, and speeds to 17 feet per minute

“What sets the new SPIRE laminators apart is the type of construction and the cost. Most machines that are built this sturdy and rugged are very expensive, while low-cost machines don’t provide the same quality construction or finished output,” says Bob Elliott, product manager for GBC Lamination Equipment. “These machines are built to run all the time in very demanding production environments with prices at or below laminators in the lower quality range.”

All models are equipped with the laminating and mounting features needed to create profitable trade show graphics, backlit and rigid displays and vehicle graphics. SPIRE operators will benefit from:

  • Capability to mount to thicker substrates
  • Fast finishing at variable speeds of up to 17 fpm
  • Highest quality output without silvering or lines
  • Intuitive, accessible control panel for easy adjustments
  • Durable, all steel construction
  • No-hassle film loading
  • Easy, custom configuration with optional add-ons

For more information and to pre-order a new GBC SPIRE laminator, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Big News and Rebates on HP Latex Printers

HP Designjet L26100HP is introducing the latest in the growing line of HP Latex printers – the HP Designjet L26100 – at the International Sign Expo this week in Las Vegas. With a list price of $19, 795, the 61” L26100 is the perfect entry-level large format printer for low-volume print shops, copy shops, commercial printers and sign shops that want to produce outdoor durable prints with indoor print quality on a wide range of both indoor and outdoor media.

And, as your volume grows, the L26100 is end-user field upgradeable for unattended printing with the take-up reel accessory. The L26100 is available now at LexJet.

HP is offering extra incentives on eligible purchases of HP Designjet L26100 or L26500 Printers by signing an HP Letter of Intent (LOI) at the ISA Show in Las Vegas April 4-6, 2013: Get a $636 Instant Rebate toward the purchase of a L26100 and $1,000 on an HP Designjet L26500.

Upgrade to Latex

You can also get cash back when you trade in your current eligible large-format printer and purchase or lease a new HP Designjet L26500 or L28500 Printer:

  • When purchasing a L26500 from April 1 through April 30, 2013: $1,500 cash back mail-in rebate if you currently own an eligible 42-in or greater aqueous printer or an eligible 30-in or greater solvent printer/printer-cutter, or
  • When purchasing the L28500 through April  30, 2013: $6,000 cash back mail-in rebate if you currently own an eligible 42-in to 53-in aqueous printer or an eligible 30-in to 53-in solvent printer/printer-cutter, or, $10,000 cash back mail-in rebate if they currently own an eligible 54-in or greater aqueous or solvent printer/printer-cutter

You can submit your claim at www.hp.com/go/upgradetolatex, where you will then need to provide the following:

  • Fax, email or send via US mail proof of purchase of HP Designjet L28500 printer with serial number on invoice and a photo of current eligible printer showing nameplate with model and serial number
  • Return the Main Print Controller board from the eligible printer. HP will arrange for the pick-up and pay for the return shipping. Shipping instructions are provided with your claim submittal confirmation email

And, the following timelines must be followed:

  • Purchase made from March 1, 2013 to April 30, 2013 and claim submitted by May 31, 2013
  • Proof of purchase and photo submitted by June 30, 2013 or within 30 days of claim submittal, whichever comes first
  • Main Print Controller board returned by July 31, 2013 or within 30 days of confirmation of claim. The shipping label is emailed to submitter when claim is validated and it expires within 30 days

For more information about the new HP Latex Printer and any of these promotions, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Epson’s New Four-Color, 64-Inch Solvent Production Printer Due in April

Epson production solvent inkjet printerThe EPSON SureColor S30670 is scheduled to ship and ready for sale this month. The new 64-inch, four-color solvent printer turned heads at the recent International Sign Expo for its combination of production speed and output quality.

Epson’s product manager, Reed Hecht, says the new printer is not being sold as a replacement for the Epson Stylus Pro GS6000. “We’re keeping the printers in the market together because we see applications for those who require the wider color gamut that can hit very specific spot colors with the GS6000, and those who want more production while producing high-quality prints,” says Hecht.

“It’s the most cost-effective and reliable printer that utilizes the newest technology at an entry-level solvent printer price. It changes the way you look at an entry-level solvent printer,” adds Hecht.

That new technology is Epson’s MicroPiezo TFP printhead, designed to deliver droplet sizes as small as 4.2 picoliters while doubling the nozzle density of the GS6000. The inks are Epson’s new UltraChrome GS2 solvent-based inks in four colors (CMYK), including a newly formulated yellow ink that Epson says based on initial testing can produce prints with up to three years of outdoor durability without lamination.

Epson ink sets for solvent printing
The EPSON SureColor S30670's ink system is four colors, CMYK, that's delivered through Epson's MicroPiezo TFP printhead. It's a very cool and advanced technology, but what it ultimately means is faster printing and better quality prints.

Prints dry immediately, according to LexJet product manager Alex Ried, who notes a drying mechanism that takes the pain out of waiting for prints to dry. Ried says he’s excited about the opportunity to provide the new Epson solvent printer to the various wide format print markets served by LexJet.

Billed as low solvent, Epson says the inks provide virtually odorless printing without the need for external dryers, special ventilation or air purification systems, and do not contain Nickel compounds, thereby reducing the printer’s environmental impact.

Speaking of that impact, Epson has also engineered the printer to use less energy. Energy Star certified, the SureColor S30670 uses about 650 Watts or less energy when operating, which is almost a quarter of other comparable printers, says Epson. Moreover, it uses standard 110V power outlets so there’s no need to bring an electrician in to install 220V outlets.

Other important features to keep in mind when evaluating this printer include:

  • Print speed: Epson bills the print speed at 619 feet per hour in draft mode with a recommended production speed of 205 square feet per hour for normal signage production
  • Reel system: The take-up reel is designed for unattended production of large print runs, supporting both wind-in and wind-out; a standard motorized heavy roll support system in the rear that will support up to a 90-pound roll; and an optional high-capacity roll support available for rolls up to 150 pounds
  • Roll media loading: A new spindleless design with a manual EPSON LiftAssist allows for easy loading and unloading of heavy roll media
  • High capacity ink system: Individual cartridges up to 700 ml enable users to avoid production downtimes and maximize profitability
  • Media versatility: EPSON UltraChrome GS2 ink works on virtually all standard coated or uncoated solvent media, including adhesive-backed vinyl and banner media. It also prints on solvent-compatible canvas for fine art printing

The list price for the EPSON SureColor S30670 is $16,995, and is expected to be available for purchase at LexJet this month. For more information, and to pre-order your printer, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

HP Latex Printer Rebates at ISA and Beyond

Rebates on HP's latex inkjet printersAs noted in an earlier post here at the LexJet Blog, HP is offering an Upgrade to Latex promotion on the 61″-wide HP Designjet L26500 and 104″-wide HP L28500 latex printers. In addition to this promotion, which ends on March 26, you can pick up a $1,500 rebate on the HP L26500 and a $4,500 rebate on the L28500 at the ISA International Sign Expo in Orlando, which starts today and runs through Saturday.

Stop by HP’s booth at the Sign Expo (420) for more information about the rebate and to sign up before the show ends on Saturday. If you take advantage of the rebate the printer must be installed by April 25, 2012, and cannot be combined with any other hardware offers, including the Upgrade to Latex promotion.

Speaking of Upgrade to Latex, this promotion gives you a $2,000 mail-in rebate when you purchase a new HP Designjet L26500 printer and show proof of ownership of an eligible aqueous printer (42″ wide or wider) or an eligible solvent printer 30″ or wider. You’ll need to send HP the formatter board of the printer you’re trading in. Same deal with the HP L28500, except that you get a $6,000 mail-in rebate with that printer.

If you have any questions about these promotions or you need help with anything, call a LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538. Also, be sure to check out the HP Printers and Workflow playlist at LexJet’s YouTube channel.

Vote for Your Favorite (LexJet) Products in the Readers’ Choice Top Product Awards

Vote for the top products in the graphics industryWide-Format Imaging magazine announced today that readers and subscribers to the magazine can vote for the Readers’ Choice Top Product Awards, starting tomorrow (a.k.a., Dec. 14) through Jan. 27, 2012.

Go to http://2012topproducts.questionpro.com vote for the products that have caused the most excitement in the industry and have been a valuable asset to wide-format print service providers’ (PSPs) businesses over the last year. Hint: LexJet’s products, which were nominated in the following categories…

From wide-format flatbed printers and wide-format media, to laminating equipment to inks, RIP software and scanners, Wide-Format Imaging’s Top Products Awards will recognize the products that are doing the most for a PSP’s bottom line.

The nominated products were submitted by manufacturers from Nov. 15 through Dec. 12 and then supplemented by products received by the magazine in 2011. Winners will be announced at the International Sign Expo in Orlando, March 22-24, and featured in the March issue of Wide-Format Imaging magazine.