HP Inc recorded total sales of USD15.6bn for the three-month period to 31 January 2021, up by 7% year-on-year and by 3% in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile Agfa revealed its new flagship Jeti Tauro hybrid large-format printer, which can handle corrugated boards for packaging and display applications.

The Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS (ultra-high speed) LED model can print onto a wide range of rigid and flexible media in widths of up to 3.3m. It can be configured with four or six colours and has a maximum output speed of 600sqm/hour.

Agfa said it was targeted at “the high end of the sign and display market” and is designed to run 24/7 thanks to a range of automation features.

Ricoh launched a new direct-to-garment (DTG) printer suitable for both short and long job runs. The Ricoh Ri 2000 can print onto both light and dark materials. It has a maximum printable area of 406x498mm and can handle 100% cotton, cotton blends with at least 50% cotton, and 100% light polyester up to 30mm thick.

Ricoh has been highlighting the Ricoh Pro L5100e large-format printer, which features an extended colour gamut with the addition of orange and green inks, as well as the Ricoh Pro TF6251 UV hybrid flatbed system.

Digital print for textiles will see an April launch by Mimaki. The TS100-1600 is a new addition to Mimaki’s ‘100 Series’. The 1.6m-wide machine can print at speeds up to 70sqm/hr in its fastest mode. Its use of one-litre ink bottles is said to help reduce the running cost and enable stable, continuous operation due to the reduced need for ink replacement.

PrintWeek's view: The rise of digital print for the garment decoration market can be easily explained. Screen printing has been the production technology which has been dominant for many years. But screen printing comes with high setup costs plus complex workflows often as well as environmental concerns. Which is what explains the popularity of digital for textiles in recent times.