Sign on Time cuts production costs and wins new business with Latex R530

Diversified printing, signage and vehicle graphics company Sign on Time has revealed how investment in an HP Latex R530 has helped the business reduce production costs and take on work in additional markets, with plans already in place to add more Latex machines to its line up.

Based in Kilcoole, around 25 miles south of Dublin in Ireland, Sign on Time began life in 2017 with a vision to build a signmaking business with attention to quality, lead times and customer service. The company has since evolved into a multi-service provider, operating under the tagline ‘Brand it. Print it. Wrap it’.

Specialising in end to end services, and with a client base ranging from local tradesmen to corporate businesses, the company is constantly on the lookout to strengthen its offering, with investment in machinery key to this approach. Consistent with its growth strategy, the company recently chose to invest in a new printer.

Managing partners Petr Plachy and Jitka Placha have a long affiliation with HP, having taken on their first machine from the manufacturer in 2010, purchasing a Latex device for a company they ran in their native Czech Republic. After continued success, the duo has stayed loyal to the manufacturer, taking on several machines across various businesses over the past 16 years.

On this occasion, Sign on Time elected for a Latex R530, a compact hybrid printer that seamlessly handles both rigid and flexible materials. Running at speeds of up to 24 square metres per hour in indoor mode, the device can handle boards up to 1.6 metres wide and 5 cm thick, while also printing in colour and white.

The flexibility of the R530 enables users to create applications such as indoor and outdoor signage, wall décor, interior graphics, banners and vehicle graphics. In addition, it runs water based latex inks.

‘This was a natural continuation of the decision we made back in 2010, when we bought our first HP Latex printer,’ Petr said. ‘We believed then, and still do, that the working environment matters, and we preferred water based inks over solvent inks.

‘We knew we wanted to move production forward by adding direct to board printing, and we were also looking for white ink capability. The R530 felt like a brilliant hybrid solution. After seeing it in person at FESPA Berlin 2025, it was only a matter of time before we made the final decision.’

Sign on Time finalised its investment in October 2025, purchasing the new machine from NTI Digital Solutions Ireland, an approved distribution partner. The company took delivery of the printer in November and has been using it to produce various applications, many of which involve direct printing onto rigid boards, ever since.

‘Being able to print direct to board significantly reduces our production costs, which opens the door to new markets and a wider range of jobs,’ Petr said. ‘It makes our pricing more competitive, and it has already helped us win new business. The white ink option opens up new possibilities, especially for clear materials, and we are committed to learning the machine properly so we can use it to its full potential across a wider range of applications.’