Epson explores opportunities

Moving its Precision Core technology into new applications, Epson has continued its rapid growth from manufacturing its proofing devices into multiple new sectors. Craig Heckenberg, general manager of Epson Australia, says, “The Epson Precision Core technology can work with multiple ink types – aqueous, solvent, UV, dye sub, textile – and as such is enabling Epson to develop innovative solutions for print businesses. “Epson only brings solutions to market that deliver a clear value add, we do not join the crowd. We are offering printers new opportunities built on our engineering strengths and our twin disciplines of colour and consistency which underpin everything we produce, all our solutions have to match up to this.†At drupa, Epson split its solutions into five zones covering prepress; sign and display; labels; print shop; and technology. The company has stepped up its development programme and more than doubled the rate of new product launches for the professional printing industry since the last drupa. Over the last six months, Epson has launched 13 new printers, all demonstrated at drupa. Epson says the SureColor SC-S at drupa use up to four times less energy compared to latex technology; about 15 per cent less ink than the previous SureColor generation; up to 50 per cent less ink than latex technology, depending on the substrate and quality printed. Epson has invested $226m investment in a new factory in Japan to triple print head production capacity and has merged its wide format, label, and textile businesses to create a major new global Professional Printing Solutions division, for which drupa 2016 has provided the launch.