COUNTDOWN TO DRUPA: RICOH
With its new generation of cutsheet colour printers, its first inkjet B2 press about to launch, a new continuous feed inkjet, software developments, Ricoh will have much to discuss at the upcoming drupa trade show.
The significant investment that Ricoh is pumping into its production print business has led to the launch of a fresh fleet of toner-based print systems; the Pro C7500 and Pro C9500, and the development and upcoming drupa launch of its first B2 sheetfed inkjet press, the Pro Z75. Its inkjet business will also launch a new continuous feed system here next year, the Pro VC80000.
Ricoh invests some 10 per cent of its annual revenue into its R+D, with grpahic arts production printing the recipient of a fair amount of that. Ricoh says that with paper prices rising, labour costs rising even more, automation is key to cost effective production.
Ricoh will show its latest flagship production printer, the Ricoh Pro C9500, which it says is designed to strengthen and future-proof commercial printing businesses. It comes with a range of improvements, such as enhanced media compatibility, improved automation and increased operational efficiency.
Ricoh Australia has also launched its next generation Ricoh Pro C7500 digital colour print system, which the company says will achieve richer and more accurate colours, and on a higher grammage range.
Succeeding the Ricoh Pro C7200 and Pro C7200x Series, the Pro C7500 is compatible with Ricoh’s original special colour toners that include white, clear, invisible red, gold, and silver. Its built-in new neon colour profiles can automatically add neon yellow and neon pink, in order, says Ricoh, to expand the colour gamut for richer and more vivid colour expression, including blush pink, deep purples and vivid greens.
B2 inkjet Dragon press lands
Ricoh is entering the sheetfed inkjet world; drupa will see the official launch of the Ricoh Pro Z75 B2 perfecting sheetfed inkjet platform (the press known as the Dragon), with availability in Australia scheduled for later in the year.
Ahead of the official launch, the first installation in the world of the Ricoh Pro Z75 has taken place at Realisaprint.com, a French online printer.
According to Ricoh, the B2 inkjet Pro Z75 will transform print production with its ability to print at speeds of up to 4,500 sheets per hour in straight printing or 2,250sph in duplex/perfecting printing. It will produce 1,200dpi native resolution at all speeds, with four-colour pigment-based inks.
The new Pro VC80000 continuous feed digital inkjet print system will print on stock from 40-300gsm, and is targeted at direct mail, colour books, catalogues, magazines, and commercial print applications.
The Pro VC80000 will print on coated media up, on both sides at once, at 150 metres a minute, printing a resolution of 1200dpi from reels of 585mm.