HP has announced new additions to its Latex and Designjet wide-format printer families, débuting in Great Britain at Sign and Digital UK next week and in Europe at FESPA Digital 2014.

The Latex 300 series represents the third generation of HP's technology, introduced in 2008, and hopes to entice remaining printers from the core, solvent-based sign and display market. The entry-level 1.37m (54") Latex 310's key benefit is front media loading to save space, and, as with all printers in the range, will be bundled with SAi's FlexiPrint RIP in a special HP edition. It also runs from two standard three-pin plugs, addressing a criticism of electricity use from previous models.

The Latex 330, at 1.62m (64"), handles larger and heavier rolls at speeds of up to 50sq m/hr. At the same width but with an augmented output speed of 91sq m/hr, the Latex 360 adds a trough for textile applications, plus automatic registration for double-sided applications. Sporting a 20.3cm (8") web-ready touchscreen, the 360 model allows operators to download colour profiles as needed, while an on-board i1 Pro spectrophotometer will encourage advanced users to create their own as necessary.

List prices are expected to be competitive for these machines. The entry-level Latex 310 is anticipated to be available to users at ￡10,500, while the more robust Latex 330 comes in at around ￡14,500. The tag associated with the Latex 360 is likely to be around ￡19,000. Crucially, the cost of the third-generation latex ink is 'ten percent cheaper' than previous versions.

In the indoor durable market HP's Designjet Z6600 and Z6800 are said to be '50 percent faster' than the Z6200, and lay down up to 30 percent less ink. While the Z6600 appears to be a basic upgrade, the Z6800 adds an onboard spectrophotometer – also the i1 Pro – and HP's Chromatic Red ink to improve gamut and gloss options. Users can print directly to this latter engine from the usual Adobe products and other graphic design software. The Z6200, meanwhile, is slated to continue as a 1.06m (42") machine.

British reseller Perfect Colours believes that these updates align the HP Latex range competitively with solvent and eco-solvent devices from Mimaki and Roland, and are priced to compete directly. "Latex has proven itself popular for its versatility across a range of popular sign and display applications, where ink formulation and fast turnaround are of the essence," comments Jon Telling, sales director. "Specifically, the new models eliminate most objections raised by users before today, so we're anticipating significant interest in the 300 series."

Both ranges of machine are commercially available as of today. Perfect Colours will feature a selection of each on its stand, D10, next week at Sign and Digital UK in Birmingham.