HP Scitex LX800

The 3.2m-wide, roll-to-roll LX800 is the third generation to use latex, pushing it up further into the industrial space and challenging solvent and UV-cured machines. The first latex unit, the 2.6m-wide, roll-to-roll Designjet L65500 sat in a slightly curious sector of the market, a bit too big to challenge the eco-solvent brigade and a bit too small to tackle hard solvent and UV-cured heavyweights.

So having launched the Designjet L25500 last year to tackle the eco solvent sector, this year HP beefed up the latex line, replacing the L65500 with the LX800 and its sister the LX600, a 2.6m-wide device that is its direct replacement. Both highlight their production credentials with a Scitex label rather than the Designjet moniker.

As befits an industrial device with a $325,000 price tag, the LX800 includes a dual roll kit to allow two-up production to make the most of its productivity and a mesh printing kit for fabric printing. Despite tidying up the marketing and positioning, the LX800 is still tricky to pigeonhole, but in a good way. David Booth, general manager of CPI Graphics, says this is because it is so versatile.