HP Latex hat trick for Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral

Diversified sign making and vehicle graphics company Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral has opened up about its recent investment in a new Latex FS50W printer, its third HP Latex purchase of 2025, revealing how the machine has allowed the business to increase production speed and expand its customer base.

Located in Bromborough and operating as part of the Signs Express franchise network, Signs Express Liverpool & Wirral partners with customers on a wide range of creative applications. The company runs under the leadership of Ian Furlong and Louise Sergent, with a commitment to providing a full suite of end to end signage solutions.

Having already invested in two Latex machines earlier in 2025 in the form of an HP Latex 800W and a Latex R530, the company recently took the decision to take on a third machine from Papergraphics, this time electing for a new Latex FS50W. It took delivery of the machine at the start of August 2025 after Ian and Louise saw the printer in action at the HP Graphics Experience Centre in Barcelona.

Running at a top speed of 89 square metres per hour in colour mode and 54 square metres per hour with white ink, the Latex FS50W can run media up to 3.2 metres wide, allowing users to take on all manner of work. The machine can print at a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi in nine colours, including Latex Optimiser and Latex Overcoat for a high quality finish on all applications.

‘In purchasing the machine, it made us the first franchise within the Signs Express group to purchase a 3.2 metre wide printer,’ Ian and Louise said. ‘While we are still new to the business, having only taken control in December last year, we are keen to invest and expand our production capabilities.’

As Ian and Louise were no strangers to HP Latex, they were already aware of the benefits of working with the technology. These include the recyclability of the printed material, which is made possible by using Latex water based inks. These inks are also odourless, making them a much more flexible option.

‘The FS50W has opened doors to new business as we can now offer quicker turnaround times,’ Ian and Louise said. ‘Projects that previously took us 10 days to complete can now be finished in just one day.

‘We are currently running wide format wallpaper, outdoor and indoor signage and vehicle wrapping for vans. We are also looking at new ways to personalise our offerings to customers to help meet their specific requirements.’

Ian and Louise also spoke about the benefits of working with the HP Print OS, the print production operating system designed for use with the printers. The duo said that this, coupled with the flexibility and print qualities of the new machine, will open up more opportunities in the long run.

‘While in the past we used a whiteboard, we have now installed a big screen on the wall in the production floor, with print jobs going onto the screen automatically and updated through Print OS,’ they said. ‘It also helps that files remain the same quality when sending to customers located outside the UK, with Print OS maintaining the quality of sent files.’