When Pop Meets Print: Signageworld and HP help Katy Perry Roar

L-R Derek Michalanney, Lisa Michalanney, Aran Kilpatrick 

As one of the first in Australia to install the new HP Latex 530 following its Australian launch at PacPrint in May, Signageworld owners Derek and Lisa Michalanney wasted no time in putting it to the test, creating a range of signage for Katy Perry's four sold-out concerts at the Adelaide entertainment centre this week.

"We partner with the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to create event signage and venue branding designed to provide event goers and artists with an immersive experience," says Derek. "One of the things about the HP Latex 530 that appealed to us was the fact that it is a hybrid roll-to-roll and flatbed printer, which means we didn't need two separate machines. If you look at the total cost, it's not a huge step up when you consider what we can now do with rigids and the variety of signage products it adds to our portfolio", he explains.

The decision to upgrade wasn't driven by features alone but by operational efficiency. "We normally work on changing printers every three years. Labour is one of the biggest costs in any business, and the amount of labour we can save using this machine will help us improve our productivity as well as reduce production waste," says Derek.

The decision to invest came about when we received a call from Aran Kilpatrick of Graphic Art Mart. We knew it had been released overseas, and he called to let us know that the first shipment was coming to Australia and to see if we were interested. We've had a strong partnership with Aran and Graphic Art Mart since we started the business five years ago, and we appreciate their service and support.

Aran observes, "The HP Latex 530 is a great fit for businesses like Signageworld. The fact that it is a hybrid makes it flexible has a relatively small footprint, and it is cost-effective."

Derek concludes, "We're not building the business for today. We're building for the next three years, and we can use this piece of equipment to improve productivity and create new product offerings for our customers."