HP to demonstrate consolidated range of printers at Dubai Sign & Graphic Imaging 2008.

Today HP Middle East announced it's presence in full force at the opening of Dubai Sign & Graphics Imaging 2008. At the show, HP will have increased presence, a huge portfolio of products and solutions, key new product introductions and continuation of sponsorship and commitment to the show.

Exhibition attendees will be able to attend HP product demonstrations at the Dubai World Trade Centre on stand N1 as well as on partner stands. Additionally the HP stand features a full range of digital solutions designed to help print service providers (PSPs) evolve their business strategies to meet rapidly changing industry demands.

Commenting on the participation, Mr. Amr Hassan, General Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, HP Middle East, said: "HP is truly the one-stop shop for virtually all large format printing solutions. Our portfolio offers the right digital solution for any large- to super-wide need: for customers who are printing indoor, POP or outdoor graphics of any size, ink type or media. The Middle East is witnessing an unprecedented growth in the outdoor and indoor graphics arena and our objective is to deliver the most innovative technology and customer driven products possible."

Designed for high-volume, multi-application environments, the new HP Scitex FB910, formerly the ColorSpan 9840uv, will be shown for the first time in the Middle east during the show. This is a robust flatbed printer targeted at industrial print service providers who are interested in versatile, high volume production of durable outdoor and indoor applications, such as signs, banners, POP displays, posters, billboards, building wraps, lawn signs, and street furniture. HP has completed the portfolio integration of recently acquired MacDermid ColorSpan, Inc., a leading supplier of UV-curable inkjet printers for display graphics, into the Graphic Arts organization within HP's Imaging and Printing Group. The acquisition enables HP to provide lower-cost, wide-format platforms and UV technologies to print service providers (PSPs) that are expanding into outdoor applications and more industrial workloads.

At the show, HP will be demonstrating the recently launched double-sided upgrade for existing and new HP Scitex TJ8300 which enable users to target a broader set of applications, including indoor and outdoor displays, exhibition booth decorations, banners, and other digital and screen printing applications. The printer package includes a combination of hardware, software, installation, and training. With a quick and easy process to switch between roll-to-sheet and sheet-to-sheet printing, the upgrade enables complete workflow management by a single operator. In addition, it provides even greater differentiation and versatility in service offerings with the added capability to produce accurate, high-quality two-sided prints and maximising printer utilisation.

Driving large format creativity

HP is changing the way professional photographers, digital fine artists, graphic designers and prepress professionals create large format images. Graphic professionals can now create colour profiles in minutes instead of hours and obtain exact colour matches throughout the printing process.

The HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series with HP Vivera pigment inks delivers vivid, high-impact prints at maximum print speeds - all with HP's remarkable level of intuitive colour management. The series is ideal for indoor and short-term outdoor banners and large format applications such as photos and fine art prints, drawings, maps and renders. The Z3100 Photo Printer series on display on the stand, provides an automated colour management experience that enables professional photographers to print museum-quality colour and black and white photos up to 44 inches wide with 200 years' photo permanence(3). The HP Designjet Z3100 Photo Printer series uses a 12-ink HP Vivera pigment system, including the HP 70 Gloss Enhancer and HP Quad-Black inks to create rich black and white prints and achieve truly neutral greys under different lighting conditions.

The HP Designjet Z Photo Printer series features HP DreamColor technologies, a certified system of colour technologies and sciences that make it easy to produce accurate, predictable and consistent colour across a series of digital colour devices. The series also offers break-through colour consistency with an embedded spectrophotometer, utilising Eye-One Color Technology from X-rite, to achieve consistent, accurate colour printer to printer and print to print.

HP Scitex XL1200/1500 - Go super-wide HP.

Also on display at Sign & Graphics Imaging 2007, are the 3.2 meter HP Scitex XL1200 and the 5 meter XL1500, opening a clear path to super-wide printing success. Available in 4, 6 or 8 colors, the XL1200/1500 are available in 4, 6 or 8 colors delivering a unique combination of high-productivity and performance, cost effective production and superb print quality.

Partnerships with key software vendors

To strengthen its large format product offerings further, HP has established partnerships with key independent vendors like Onyx, Caldera, Posterjet, EFI Best, and GMG apart from others. The partnerships provide an array of third-party software applications and extended hardware solutions that work alongside the HP Designjet printers. PSPs can expand their portfolio of printing services by creating customised workflows reflecting their individual needs. These third-party workflow solutions include print production planning, file preparation, print management and finishing.

About HP

HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers - from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world's largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $94.1 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2007. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

About HP Middle EastHP is the largest technology and solutions provider in the Middle East with 670 employees and subsidiaries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Cairo, Ramallah, Oman and 2 service Joint Ventures in Kuwait and Bahrain servicing the GCC, Egypt and the Levant. HP has been present in the Middle East since 1968 and opened its first regional office in 1994. HP Middle East is the market leader for enterprise, small and medium business and consumer technology products and offers a large portfolio of solutions and services in various business domains.

More information about HP in the Middle East is available at www.hp.com/me

[c] 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)