'Océ OpenHouse is the only show where there's enough time to find out about all the innovations in the industry, and where all the relevant partners and companies are present,' was how one visitor commended the event. Sloganed 'Beyond the Ordinary', this year's Océ OpenHouse presented a total of 63 printing lines running real-life applications, and Océ teamed up with over 60 industry partners to show integrated solutions from Océ Digital Document Systems (DDS) and Wide Format Printing Systems (WFPS). Océ OpenHouse visitors — chiefly professionals and decision makers from commercial printing, banking, telecommunications, public utilities and public administration — saw advanced, fully integrated solutions offering best-in-class investment security, modularity and application choice. Some significant business deals were struck even before the event was over — one with a major US financial service provider, another with the Dutch digital print provider Document Services, and another with Egypt Post.

 

Océ has also expanded the international Océ Quality Center network, a seal of approval awarded to leading-edge commercial printers worldwide who use Océ's innovative digital presses and offer a varied portfolio of services. Eight print providers in Denmark, the UK, Italy and Switzerland are strengthening their partnership with Océ in this way, and at the recent OpenHouse these new members were officially welcomed into the Océ Quality Center network.

 

Océ has also entered a promising strategic distribution partnership with Founder Group in China, and the partners signed the agreement for this partnership at the Océ OpenHouse. Founder's sales organisation will sell Océ's digital printers in the high volume printing and graphic arts markets in China, giving Océ products better access to this fast-growing market.

 

Special highlights on the show floor were the innovations in the Océ VarioPrint 6000, VarioStream 9000 and Arizona® product families, each of which were featured in presentations and live demos at the booths.

 

Océ VarioPrint 6160 and 6200 with Gemini Instant Duplex technology
Océ unveiled two new printing systems to complement the Océ VarioPrint 6250: the Océ VarioPrint 6160 and 6200 cutsheet printers have the unique capability to produce double-sided prints at a single pass — the most productive and precise duplexing technique. The two new printers have output speeds of 160 and 200 pages per minute respectively. The VarioPrint 6000 series is designed for quality-conscious customers for whom productivity is a key factor.

 

Océ VarioStream 9240 innovates colour printing
As the leader in the global continuous feed printing market, Océ unveiled the brand new VarioStream 9240, a digital printer combining flexibility and reliability with a new style of colour-printing capability. Based on the concept of 'Colour on Demand', the VarioStream 9240 operates with maximum cost efficiency for each application. Black and white, one spot colour, two or three, or C/M/Y/K four-colour process printing, the Océ VarioStream 9240 can print them all. The new printing system is fully able to print complex colour content in order to upgrade transaction documents with marketing messages.

 

The next groundbreaking development in the Océ VarioStream 9000 line-up was announced at OpenHouse 2007. A new high-speed version will raise the print speed benchmark by over 50 per cent to 1270 A4 or 1350 letter size ppm 2-up. With this level of performance in sight, the Océ VarioStream 9000 series is set for ultra-high productivity in black & white printing. Printers can be upgraded on-site with functions such as Océ CustomTone, giving customers utmost security for their investment and maximum flexibility.

 

Brilliant print quality with the Océ Arizona 250 GT
The show was also the debut presentation of the next-generation Océ Arizona 250 GT printer for the display graphics market, dazzling visitors with its near-photographic image quality for wide format indoor and outdoor applications. The new printer uses UV durable inks and Océ VariaDot™ imaging technology. With its true flatbed platform, it can print a wide variety of rigid substrates, and features an optional roll-to-roll module for printing flexible media — complementing superlative colour reproduction with excellent flexibility and economy.