The vice president and general manager of Xerox’s production print business, Gilbert has announced the introduction of the new Color Accelerator module for the B3, 300ppm Baltoro High Fusion inkjet press platform at an online product launch.
according to her, the enhancement was in line with Xerox’s focus on driving three key customer benefits: business expansion, investment protection and productivity.
“It’s business expansion because now you can go with higher ink coverage on more media, grabbing those Holy Grails of offset coated and higher gloss. And it’s business expansion because you can go into direct mail and catalogues, more of the bang for the buck applications beyond transactional and transpromo,” she stated.
Also, Gilbert said productivity was increased thanks to ease of setup, with the image IQ system and method of purging the printheads resulting in less wastage, along with its primer-free High Fusion inks.
At the product launch Xerox said it was “redefining inkjet again” and described the benefits as “inkonomics amplified”.
Existing users can field upgrade to the new spec, but Gilbert said she anticipated that customers would probably add another Baltoro with the new features.
“It’s also a great migration story, and a true play against offset with cut-sheet inkjet,” she stated.
She said the first customer installs would be in Q1 2021, and Xerox had already been running customer sample files on the upgraded device.
Also new is a feeding kit for extra-long sheets on the Xerox Iridesse toner-based digital press and a fluorescent pink option to add to the existing special colour set. This will be available from March 2021.
“Fluorescent pink can be added on its own or mixed with silver and gold to make a metallic, but it’s also going to give you a bump on your spot colours so it’s going to make your Orange 021 pop more or make your Reflex Blue pop more, and it’s also going to give better skin tones as well,” explained Andrew Gunn, global director of production marketing.
Two new Versants handle mid- to heavy production loads. The Versant 280 and Versant 4100 both handle thicker stock up to 400gsm, opening up applications such as postcards, and Gilbert said that all stocks would run at rated speed.
The entry-level, compact VersaLink C8000W with white toner was described as “the most affordable entry point into the embellishment market”.
Xerox also aims to improve productivity and efficiency with a new cloud-based AI system, PredictPrint Media Manager, which is included with the Versant 4100 and optional for the Iridesse. Users scan the barcode on the media being used and the software will identify the correct settings for that substrate. Users can also upload their own settings.
“We are giving people the tools to be successful with beyond CMYK,” Gunn added.
Gilbert said all of the announcements revolved around “business expansion, productivity, and investment protection – they’re all equivalent pillars in our eyes.”
