Ingram Express Adds EFI VUTEk HS125 Pro Inkjet Press

Nashville, TN-based Ingram Express has purchased an EFI VUTEk HS125 Pro inkjet press, a 3.2-meter wide hybrid roll/flatbed printer capable of producing high volumes at speeds up to 125 boards per hour.
 
The new press fits into Ingram Express’s diverse product offering, producing small to large custom jobs, including a large amount of point-of-purchase (POP) signage.
 
With the new VUTEk printer, Ingram Express now has in-house production capabilities to meet just about every digital printing request it receives, not only in signage but also for a growing number of corrugated packaging jobs.
 
“When we first got into digital, we were outsourcing all of our printing. Now we probably do 80% of it in house,” said CEO Adam Ingram. “We started with a small printer running 200 square feet an hour and a simple cutter, and within four months we bought another flatbed printer. Over the years we have continued to invest in the most advanced equipment and technology.”
 
Ingram Express’s new inkjet press delivers higher-volume digital print and has quality-enhancing features such as variable matte or gloss finishes made possible using an LED/UV Pin & Cure imaging technology. The press, which is the fastest model in the EFI VUTEk production press line, also has a variety of automated material handling options to accommodate increased throughput and minimize the downtime between jobs.
 
“We push the envelope where offset and digital meet,” said Ingram of his company’s digital print capabilities. “We can produce anything from two to 300 short-run custom boxes – printed and die cut – and can deliver almost anything in traditional wide-format signage applications. In one shift alone, we can double the amount of work we produce in the same amount of hours.”
 
Whether it is printing indoor/outdoors posters, banners or architectural signage, the VUTEk press has improved Ingram Express’s ability to print on rigid substrates, from foam core and board to glass, metal and other materials.
 
Ingram Express has grown from nine employees to 30, and is currently in the process of building a 6,000 square foot addition, mostly to accommodate its growing pressroom. The company has also placed an order for a soon-to-be- delivered EFI VUTEk LX3 Pro hybrid LED inkjet printer, which Ingram said would triple his company’s capacity.
 
The VUTEk LX3 Pro printer features energy-efficient, “cool cure” LED imaging technology, which requires up to 82 percent less energy for drying or curing than UV or latex printers. The 3.2m-wide inkjet production device also offers a new, extended-gamut ink capable of delivering eight-color quality POP results using only four colors for some jobs.