HP Selected as Solutions Provider for Digital Color Book Printing Applications

PALO ALTO, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 17, 2010 — HP (NYSE: HPQ) today announced it has completed a sale agreement for an HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press with Consolidated Graphics (CGX), which is already using the press to produce a wide range of products on coated and uncoated paper.

CGX, one of the nation’s largest commercial printing companies with the world’s largest integrated digital footprint, installed the HP T300 at its Denver-based Frederic Printing company last year. The initial installation of the HP T300 enabled CGX to begin producing multiple titles of textbooks every day, as well as maps, engineered drawings, saddle-stitched books and other products that have traditionally been produced on analog presses.

CGX also has selected HP as its solution provider for digital color book printing applications, one of CGX’s fastest-growing markets. Unlike analog press technology, the HP T300 digital press can change content on the fly. This allows CGX to print multiple titles of varying page lengths, as well as personalized books, during the course of a single press run. The press also eliminates many of the fixed costs associated with analog press technology, substantially reducing minimum run-length requirements needed to meet economies of scale.

Since the first HP T300 commercial installation in December 2008, the press has helped advance digital print from niche to mainstream applications by offering cost-effective, high-volume digital color production.

“With the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press, CGX has established itself as a true innovator,” said Aurelio Maruggi, vice president and general manager, Inkjet High-speed Production Solutions, HP. “By using the only digital color press available today that offers this level of productivity, CGX is setting an excellent example of how the HP T300 can help reinvent print’s role in publishing.”

Generating greater value in digital print

The HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press prints a 30-inch (762-mm) wide roll with 600 x 1,200 addressable dots per inch (dpi) four-color-process printing at a speed of 400 feet (122 m) per minute – a size, speed and resolution combination capable of creating 500 200-page books an hour with image quality that meets or exceeds book trade standards.

The HP T300 offers print service providers attractive capital acquisition and operating costs, including the ability to purchase consumables as needed without click charges.

“The HP T300 will open up new markets for our customers and enable CGX to remain at the forefront of on-demand book publishing,” said Aaron Grohs, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, Consolidated Graphics. “This particular press was attractive to us because it allows us to offer our customers greater media flexibility and a superior end product.”

Media flexibility, including compatibility with standard uncoated papers

By taking advantage of the press’s unique bonding agent technology for improved print quality, CGX can now print books on both standard uncoated paper and custom, coated inkjet media on the HP T300.

In addition to being an early adopter of the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press, CGX ranks as the world’s No. 1 user of HP Indigo digital presses, with more than 50 presses installed in facilities across North America and Europe to produce photo books, direct mail and commercial print jobs requiring offset- or photo-quality imaging and high ink coverage.

More information about HP digital presses is available at www.hp.com/go/GSB, as well as through the HP Graphic Arts Twitter feed.

About Consolidated Graphics

Consolidated Graphics Inc. (NYSE: CGX), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is one of North America’s leading general commercial printing companies. With 70 printing businesses strategically located across 27 states, Toronto, and Prague, and a presence in Asia, CGX offers an unmatched geographic footprint, unsurpassed capabilities, and unparalleled levels of convenience, efficiency and service. With locations in or near virtually every major U.S. market, CGX provides service and responsiveness of a local printer enhanced by the economic, geographic and technological advantages of a large national organization.

Consolidated Graphics’ vast and technologically advanced sheetfed and web printing capabilities are complemented by the world’s largest integrated digital footprint. By coupling North America’s most comprehensive printing capabilities with strategically located fulfillment centers and industry-leading technology, CGX delivers end-to-end print production and management solutions that are based on the needs of our customers to improve their results. For more information, visit www.cgx.com.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com .