Commercial printers in the United Kingdom now have a groundbreaking tool at their disposal to elevate their print creativity and production capabilities. Ricoh Europe, headquartered in London, proudly introduced the RICOH Pro™ C7500 digital colour press on September 18, 2023, providing commercial printers with a next-generation solution that delivers richer and more accurate colours, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in print production.
This innovative sheetfed press follows closely on the heels of the recent launch of the high-volume RICOH Pro™ C9500 digital colour sheetfed press, showcasing Ricoh’s commitment to evolving and advancing print technologies. The RICOH Pro C7500 is designed to empower agile commercial printers to navigate the ever-changing landscape of print production successfully.
Building on the legacy of the RICOH Pro™ C7200/x Series, the RICOH Pro C7500 is fully compatible with Ricoh’s special colour toners, including white, clear, invisible red, gold, and silver. In addition to this, it introduces neon colour profiles, automatically adding neon yellow and neon pink, thereby expanding the colour gamut for even richer and more vibrant colour expressions. This feature will undoubtedly unlock new creative possibilities for commercial printers, allowing them to produce eye-catching materials that captivate their audience.
Furthermore, the RICOH Pro C7500 introduces an elastic intermediate transfer belt, enhancing its versatility by allowing it to handle a wide range of media types, including rough or uneven textured materials. This press can handle paper weights from a mere 40gsm up to a robust 470gsm, significantly surpassing the maximum recommended grammage of 360gsm for the Pro C7200/x Series. Its strengthened design supports the efficient production of duplex prints up to an impressive length of 1030mm. These advancements open up new opportunities for progressive Print Service Providers (PSPs) to diversify their offerings, including light packaging, greeting cards, wedding stationery, and much more, all while benefiting from an unprecedented level of print quality.
The RICOH Pro C7500 also incorporates the brand-new RICOH Graphic Communications Operating System (GC OS), a game-changing development in terms of device control and operation simplicity. This engine controller streamlines device usage and offers an intuitive interface for machine settings. Remote access is facilitated through a web browser on a PC or tablet, ensuring streamlined operation in a multi-skilled environment where print operators are required to perform various tasks. Additionally, the system is designed to adapt to client feedback, allowing for the addition of new functions and software updates over time.
Further enhancing its capabilities is a powerful Digital Front End (DFE), developed in collaboration with Fiery®, which significantly improves operational efficiency. This includes additional printing efficiencies and labour-saving functions designed to reduce maintenance time and facilitate real-time troubleshooting. Notably, the press allows for quick and straightforward unit changeovers for special colours and introduces improved operator-replaceable units to support responsive system maintenance.
Simon Isaacs, National Director at Ricoh UK Graphic Communications Group, proudly remarked:
“The launch of the new RICOH Pro C7500 is a testament to the innovation our teams continue to deliver within the print industry. Through a robust development phase, we have been able to evolve our existing proven technologies to tackle some of the key print industry challenges. This next-generation press will unlock new creative and versatile print production capabilities and will empower our clients to optimise their business efficiency and enhance their return on investment.”
In addition to its exceptional hardware capabilities, the RICOH Pro C7500 is complemented by a range of value-added software options, including RICOH Supervisor™, RICOH TotalFlow Production Manager™, and FusionPro®. These software solutions enable clients to maximise the effectiveness of their products and, in turn, enhance the return on their investment in Ricoh technology.
Commercial printers and print service providers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) can look forward to experiencing the game-changing capabilities of the RICOH Pro C7500, as it is set to become available starting in November. This innovation promises to reshape the industry landscape, offering printers new avenues for creativity and productivity in an ever-evolving market.