When people go on an international business trip, most bring back an art print, coffee mug or snow globe as a memento.
When Renate Spilger, vice president of Large Format Printers, returned from a trade show in Germany last year, she came back with a $130,000 large-format Hewlett-Packard Designjet L65500 printer.
Spilger's Phoenix company is one of the few in the Western United States to own the new eco-friendly machine that uses "green" ink that emits no ozone or solvent pollutants and prints on recyclable materials.
For Spilger, it was practically love at first sight.
"It was absolutely stunning. It was a step forward in the right direction with the environment in mind . . . it completely floored me," she said.
Previously in the printer-resale business, Spilger and husband Peter started Large Format Printers in 2000.
Over the years, they saw a lot of different prototypes introduced, but this HP machine created the biggest buzz. After some research, the pair believed this printer was the wave of the future.
The Spilgers have used the machine since April and said it produces a quality of colors and sharpness that exceeds that of traditional large-format printers. The new printer uses ink that is 75 percent water and 25 percent latex, making it more eco-friendly by producing pollutant-free banners and other large-scale commercial products.
"Every printer can print pretty with solvent-based machines. But compared to the green machine, I just had to push the button and it looks stunning. The colors are a lot richer and deeper," Spilger said. "We knew that would be the horse to bet on. That machine just absolutely rocks."
Traditional materials used for graphic projects have PVC and plastics, which cannot be recycled.
This printer can print on recyclable materials that are turned into playground equipment, furniture and other usable products. Hewlett-Packard provides customers with a pre-paid UPS box that they can use to mail back the banner when they are done, and HP takes care of the recycling process.
"From a financial standpoint, we believe the green aspect of the printing will start seeping in when people have to replace equipment and look to separate themselves from the masses," Spilger said.
Caliber Signs partnered with the Spilgers to use their printer for a variety of projects. The businesses have worked together for seven years but when word got out that Caliber had access to this eco-friendly machine, its client list grew, attracting orders from colleges, the construction industry, museums, and Phoenix and Tempe city governments.
"The fact that it was so exclusive, we thought we could carve a new niche in the market. It's showing very good signs of developing into something very strong," said Mike LaPorte, director of business development for Caliber, which has been in business for 14 years.
LaPorte said the lack of toxins and odors credited to the water-based formula is an immediate plus to employees, who no longer have to accept headaches and watery eyes as part of a typical workday. The recycling factor and trueness of the colors are other benefits.
LaPorte said he is not charging customers extra for this new technology.
"We don't feel like you have to spend more money to take advantage of the green approach. We want businesses to be able to support their policies and make a mark for themselves," LaPorte said. "We're seeing it really, really catch fire."
