9.13.2016
Ricoh USA, Inc. today announced its new aqueous resin (AR) latex inks, which are designed to cut cure times at an affordable price point, helping wide format shops take on more jobs and increase profits. After September, Ricoh’s wide format customers will be transitioned to AR inks, which will cost much less than their predecessors and boast a 24-month shelf life–much longer than previous latex ink options.
AR inks allow wide format jobs on a broad range of substrates to be used immediately off the press. Whether printing on cloth, bond paper, backlit material or a variety of other media, Ricoh’s AR inks cure quickly, reducing wait time for even the most complex jobs so campaigns can get off the ground or change quickly. Faster cure times mean faster turn times, which enable shops to take on more business and keep revenue flowing. Additionally, AR inks’ longer shelf life reduces the risk of an ink “going bad” in storage and having to be disposed of, unused.
The new lineup of inks’ low price point helps drive wide format’s famously high margins even higher. Cutting ink costs without reducing quality allows signage shops to produce the same eye-catching work they are known for, at the same price point they usually charge customers, with lower upfront costs. Alternatively, shops secure revenue growth while also passing savings down to customers for competitive pricing. These savings only further incentivize the adoption of latex inks, which are known for their fast cure times and low environmental impact while still maintaining the high level of color quality that signage shops make their stock and trade. As latex inks’ color quality has improved in recent years, many shops have started making the switch, spurred on by OSHA regulations concerning the fumes associated with solvent-based operations.
“Signage shops – and cutsheet shops adding wide format operations – are always looking for ways to better serve their customers, from new, creative applications to faster turn times to keep up with today’s fast-paced signage needs,” said John Fulena, Vice President, Production Printing Business Group, Ricoh USA, Inc. “Our team of graphic arts specialists know that for today’s signage to succeed, it needs to be ready to go, as fast as possible without jeopardizing quality. These new aqueous resin inks deliver the quick cure times that speeds demand, while still producing outstanding, eye-catching output. That it does all of this at a drastically lower price point than its predecessor is a huge advantage for these shops, who can use that difference to reinvest in new capabilities, adjust prices to compete or simply drive higher profits.”
