Colemans Printing gets first two HP Indigos in Darwin

The high-profile Northern Territory printer makes print history as it installs two HP Indigo 5500s. The first ever HP Indigo’s in the Top End, the presses are up and running since Christmas.

According to Tony Coleman, managing director, Darwin is not immune to the industry trend towards short run work. Traditionally a Heidelberg house, the largest printer in the Northern Territory has turned its focus to digital to capitalize on quick turnaround jobs.

After much research and visiting print shops around Australia, Coleman says it was a trip to Dscoop in Singapore that finally clinched the deal. “Seeing the passion for HP machines at the conference was the major selling point for us,” he says.


Pictured: Magdaline Coleman (Digital Communications Specialist) with Tony Coleman (Managing Director) are pioneering high-end digital colour in Darwin.

According to the third-generation printer, a noticeable lack of high quality digital technology in Darwin was one of the main reasons for choosing the HP Indigo 5500s. Due to the company’s remote location the decision to invest in two machines came down to the need for contingency and reliability.

“Darwin has always been behind in this area and if we wanted any real quality we had to go down south. When I saw an opportunity to get involved in digital print, I thought that if we don’t jump now we’re going be left behind big time.

“I like to think that we will also get a HP Indigo 5500 in our Alice Springs branch in a couple of years. But for the moment we want to sit back and see how these machines go,” he says.

Installed under Colemans’ digital division, Quick Print, the new digital presses open new opportunities, adding more speed to its turnover of short run work and variable data for direct marketing. Independent of the Darwin shop yet under the same roof, the digital arm is constantly busy with demand for short run print.

“Variable data will now become a bigger focus for our digital division. I think council work is just the starting point for us. As the world of variable data gets more technical, the quicker we jump on it and sell it to clients the better.

Steering operations of the iconic 60-year-old print company, Coleman initially did not place much market value on the Indigo 5500s substrate capabilities. However, after seeing what the Indigos are capable of, he is confident the Darwin market will find plenty of use for the innovative print solutions.


If everything goes smoothly in Darwin, Coleman says he will be making his way to drupa in May. After his last trip to the industry trade show in 2008 he engaged in major investments with Heidelberg equipment.

With the installation of the first HP Indigos in Darwin, the press brand has a presence in every state and territory. Phillip Rennell, marketing and sales director, Currie Group, – the HP Indigo agent in the region – says the new equipment provides the town and surrounding area with the ability to create its own quality digital work.

“Many of the customers up there will now be able to access short runs at offset quality, something that they’ve not been able to do before. Colemans are already offset printing leaders in their market, and with the 5500s, they now have the opportunity to become the digital leaders as well,” he says.

In addition to providing extensive training to Colemans’ printers on the new equipment, the Currie Group has also set up remote support for the Darwin print house.

“Print Care enables the press operator to push a button, alerting our call centre about a problem. We can log onto the press remotely to see what is going on, and work with the operators to solve most of the problems irrespective of distance,” adds Rennell.