HP Indigo Division
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHP Indigo is HP Inc.'s digital-printing division and brand, specializing in liquid-electrophotographic presses, ElectroInk consumables, and production workflows for commercial print, labels, packaging, publishing, and personalized products.
Last updated October 14, 2026
Overview
HP Indigo is the digital-printing division and principal industrial digital-press brand of HP Inc.'s Graphic Solutions Business. Its roots are in Indigo, an Israeli technology company founded by Benny Landa in 1977. The company spent its early years developing imaging, copying, and digital-printing technologies before introducing the E-Print 1000 in 1993. That press helped establish the commercial potential of direct-to-digital color printing by eliminating conventional plate preparation and allowing each impression to vary from the next. Indigo became a publicly traded company on Nasdaq in 1994 and developed a broad portfolio for commercial, specialty, and packaging applications. The core of the HP Indigo proposition is liquid electrophotography, usually abbreviated LEP. Instead of using traditional printing plates or conventional dry toner, the process uses electrically charged liquid ink particles, an imaging system, and a heated transfer process. HP markets the technology as a digital-offset approach because it combines digital job-to-job flexibility with print quality, color control, and substrate range associated with offset production. Digital production also supports variable-data printing, short and medium runs, versioning, personalization, rapid turnaround, and production closer to the point of demand. HP acquired Indigo in stages. Hewlett-Packard made a strategic investment in Indigo in 2000 and announced an agreement in September 2001 to acquire the remaining shares. After the acquisition, Indigo technology became a foundation of HP's expansion in professional digital printing. The division retained significant research, manufacturing, and engineering operations in Israel while becoming part of HP's broader printing and imaging organization. Following HP's 2015 corporate separation, HP Indigo became part of HP Inc.'s Graphic Solutions Business. The brand serves several major markets. In commercial printing, its presses produce brochures, catalogs, direct mail, calendars, books, manuals, marketing collateral, photo products, and other customized materials. In labels and packaging, HP Indigo systems are used for pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, in-mold labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, tubes, and other applications. The portfolio includes both sheetfed and web-fed systems, allowing printers to select equipment according to format, substrate, run length, productivity, and application requirements. HP Indigo's business model combines press sales with recurring revenue from ElectroInk, imaging components, operator-replaceable parts, software, service, and workflow support. HP's production software ecosystem includes PrintOS and related tools for job management, monitoring, automation, analytics, color control, and fleet management. This combination creates a consumables-and-services element in addition to the initial equipment sale and encourages customers to build long-term production environments around the platform. The current portfolio spans high-volume commercial presses, B2 and A3 sheetfed platforms, label presses, flexible-packaging presses, folding-carton systems, and the V12 platform using the newer LEPx architecture. Current product families include the Indigo 120K, 18K, 7K and 7K+ for commercial production; the 6K+ for labels and related packaging work; the 200K for flexible packaging; the 35K for folding cartons; and the V12 for high-speed narrow-web label production. HP also offers specialty ElectroInks, extended color capabilities, security and decorative effects, and workflow technologies intended to improve automation, uptime, color consistency, and sustainability.
History
HP Indigo originated as Indigo, an Israeli printing-technology company established by Benny Landa in 1977. Its early work focused on imaging and copying technologies, including components and systems for copiers and related equipment. The company initially operated primarily as a research and development enterprise, but gradually shifted toward digital color printing as advances in imaging, ink, and computer-controlled production made direct digital output more practical. The company's key breakthrough came with the E-Print 1000, introduced at the IPEX trade show in 1993. Unlike conventional offset printing, the system could create images directly from digital files without producing printing plates. This reduced preparation time and made short-run color jobs more economical. It also enabled variable-data production, in which pages or impressions could be changed during a continuous job. The technology used a liquid electrophotographic process involving a laser imaging system, a photoreceptor, electrically charged liquid toner, and a heated transfer mechanism. Indigo went public on Nasdaq in 1994. It continued to broaden its ambitions with the Omnius press, introduced in 1995, which addressed packaging and other non-paper surfaces. The company nevertheless faced difficult commercial conditions during the mid-1990s. Sales growth did not initially meet expectations, the company reduced its workforce, and it recorded losses while working to improve press reliability, image quality, and customer acceptance. By the late 1990s, improvements in the technology and a broader customer base helped revenue exceed earlier levels and strengthened the company's position in professional digital printing. Hewlett-Packard began evaluating Indigo's technology in the late 1990s. HP invested in Indigo in 2000 and in September 2001 announced an agreement to acquire the remaining shares. The transaction brought Indigo's digital color-printing platform into HP's imaging and printing organization. Following the acquisition, HP continued to develop the technology, manufacturing footprint, product range, and global sales channel while retaining major engineering and manufacturing capabilities in Israel. The first major HP-developed generation included the HP Indigo 5000 family and related Series 2 products. These systems established a more standardized commercial platform spanning sheetfed commercial work and web-fed label production. At drupa 2008, HP introduced the Indigo 7000 and related products, beginning a newer generation focused on higher speed, greater productivity, and a lower economic break-even point relative to offset printing. The portfolio expanded into labels, folding cartons, flexible packaging, books, photo products, and highly customized commercial materials. During the 2000s and 2010s, HP Indigo also developed a recurring-revenue model based on ElectroInk, imaging components, operator-replaceable parts, service, workflow tools, and production software. HP invested in Israeli facilities for press assembly and ElectroInk production, including manufacturing operations in Kiryat Gat, while also developing ink production capacity in Singapore. The division's Israeli presence became part of HP's wider technology and manufacturing footprint in the country. Customer adoption increasingly came from commercial printers, online print providers, photo companies, label converters, packaging producers, and book manufacturers. HP Indigo's value proposition was particularly strong where customers required several versions of a product, frequent job changes, personalization, limited editions, fast time to market, or inventory reduction. Large users included companies in commercial printing, photo fulfillment, labels, and flexible packaging, although the platform was also used by a wide range of small and medium-sized print service providers. The product portfolio later expanded into B2 sheetfed production through systems such as the Indigo 10000 and 12000, high-volume commercial production through the 100K and 120K platforms, labels through the WS and 6K families, flexible packaging through the 20000 and 200K systems, and folding cartons through the 30000 and 35K families. The division also introduced the LEPx architecture, designed to raise productivity beyond earlier liquid-electrophotographic systems. Following HP's corporate separation in 2015, HP Indigo became part of HP Inc.'s Graphic Solutions Business and remains an active global brand for industrial digital printing.
- 2024
Current portfolio spans commercial and packaging segments
[2]HP's portfolio includes the 120K, 18K, 7K, 6K+, 200K, 35K, and V12 platforms across commercial printing, labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and high-speed label production.
- 2020
LEPx architecture announced
[1]HP announces LEPx as a new speed-oriented architecture for the next generation of liquid-electrophotographic presses.
- 2015
HP Indigo becomes part of HP Inc.
[1]Following HP's corporate separation, the Indigo business becomes part of HP Inc.'s Graphic Solutions Business.
- 2012
Second ElectroInk manufacturing facility opens in Israel
[1]HP inaugurates an expanded Kiryat Gat manufacturing operation for ElectroInk used in newer Indigo press generations.
- 2009
5,000 installed presses milestone
[1]HP announces that more than 5,000 HP Indigo digital presses are operating worldwide.
- 2008
Third-generation commercial platforms unveiled
[1]HP presents the Indigo 7000 and related commercial, label, and web-fed systems at drupa, emphasizing higher speed and productivity.
- 2002
HP Indigo 5000 generation announced
[1]HP introduces the Indigo 5000 as a major product developed through the combined HP and Indigo organization.
- 2001
HP acquires Indigo
[9]Hewlett-Packard announces an agreement to acquire the remaining shares of Indigo, integrating the company into HP's printing organization.
- 2000
Hewlett-Packard takes a minority stake
[9]HP invests in Indigo as part of its assessment of liquid-electrophotographic technology for professional digital printing.
- 1995
Omnius broadens the platform to packaging
[1]The Omnius system extends Indigo's digital-printing approach to packaging and a wider selection of non-paper materials.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Products and positioning
A premium digital-printing platform positioned between conventional offset and gravure production and highly variable on-demand workflows. HP Indigo emphasizes offset- and gravure-like quality, broad substrate compatibility, specialty colors, personalization, short-run economics, rapid turnaround, and integrated press, consumables, software, and service capabilities.
High-volume commercial sheetfed press
HP Indigo 120K Digital Press
A high-productivity B2 sheetfed platform designed for commercial printers requiring automated, reliable production at substantial volumes. Its positioning emphasizes non-stop feeding and stacking, automated color measurement, predictive downtime management, and reduced intervention. The system is intended for applications such as direct mail, brochures, catalogs, calendars, books, and other commercial work where digital flexibility must approach offset-scale productivity.
Versatile B2 commercial sheetfed press
HP Indigo 18K Digital Press
The 18K is a B2 sheetfed press built for a broad mix of commercial applications. It supports multiple feeders, a wide range of certified substrates, duplex production, and extensive color configurations using specialty ElectroInks and spot colors. HP positions it for commercial print, photo products, folding-carton work, security applications, and other jobs that benefit from frequent changes in format, substrate, version, or run length.
A3 commercial sheetfed presses
HP Indigo 7K and 7K+ Digital Presses
The 7K family is aimed at commercial printers seeking a flexible A3 digital production platform. The presses support a wide substrate range, specialty inks, color effects, personalization, and short-to-medium production runs. The 7K+ adds automation and on-press tools intended to simplify calibration and maintain consistent output. Typical applications include marketing collateral, direct mail, photo products, books, labels, and specialty commercial work.
Digital label and packaging press
HP Indigo 6K+ Digital Press
The 6K+ is a narrow-web digital press for pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, in-mold labels, laminate tubes, and related packaging applications. It is designed for converters that need rapid job changes, versioning, variable data, short runs, and production of specialized or seasonal packaging. The platform uses HP Indigo ElectroInk capabilities and supports a range of media and decorative or functional effects.
Flexible-packaging press
HP Indigo 200K Digital Press
The 200K is a web-fed digital press developed for flexible-packaging production. It is aimed at short and medium runs, multiple versions, rapid market introduction, and on-demand or inventory-reducing packaging workflows. The system targets converters producing digitally printed packaging on suitable films and related substrates, with an emphasis on productivity, variable content, and the economics of differentiated packaging.
Folding-carton press
HP Indigo 35K Digital Press
The 35K is a digital folding-carton production platform for converters and commercial printers serving branded packaging, prototypes, seasonal editions, and short or frequently changing carton runs. Its digital workflow supports versioning, personalization, rapid turnaround, and reduced dependence on conventional plate production. The press is positioned for businesses that need to produce varied carton work without committing every job to long conventional runs.
High-speed narrow-web label press
HP Indigo V12 Digital Press
The V12 is HP Indigo's first press based on the LEPx architecture. It is designed for high-speed narrow-web label production and combines digital job flexibility with a productivity target closer to conventional narrow-web production. The platform is intended for converters seeking rapid changeovers, multiple versions, variable data, and high output across label applications.
Liquid-electrophotographic consumables
HP Indigo ElectroInk
ElectroInk is the consumables platform at the center of HP Indigo's liquid-electrophotographic process. The range includes standard process colors, specialty colors, spot colors, metallic and effect-oriented options, and formulations for different application and substrate requirements. The consumables model supports recurring customer purchases and enables presses to produce variable, personalized, and visually differentiated work.
Production workflow and analytics software
HP PrintOS for Indigo
PrintOS is HP's cloud-connected software and workflow ecosystem for production monitoring, job management, analytics, automation, fleet visibility, and operational improvement. In the Indigo environment it complements press hardware and consumables by helping printers track production, improve consistency, manage multiple devices, and use data to reduce downtime and increase utilization.
Brand decisions
2020
Introduce the LEPx architectureGeneration changeBackground
HP sought to extend liquid-electrophotographic printing into higher-productivity applications, particularly in labels and other industrial production environments.
Action taken
HP announced LEPx, a new architecture designed to increase web-printing speed and support presses with more ink stations and higher production capacity.
Aftermath
The architecture became the basis for the V12 platform and represented HP Indigo's effort to close the productivity gap between digital and conventional narrow-web printing.
2015
Continue Indigo under HP Inc.'s Graphic Solutions BusinessStrategyBackground
Hewlett-Packard separated its personal-systems and printing activities from its enterprise operations.
Action taken
HP Indigo became part of HP Inc. and continued as a major brand within the company's Graphic Solutions Business.
Aftermath
The change preserved the Indigo brand while placing it within HP Inc.'s focused printing, imaging, and graphics portfolio.
2012
Expand ElectroInk manufacturing capacityStrategyBackground
Growth in newer Indigo press generations increased the need for dedicated manufacturing capacity for liquid-electrophotographic inks and related consumables.
Action taken
HP inaugurated an additional ElectroInk manufacturing facility in Kiryat Gat, Israel, focused on supplies for newer press families.
Aftermath
The investment reinforced Israel as a central manufacturing and technology base for the HP Indigo platform and supported the division's recurring-consumables model.
Reported investment in the facility. Approximately NIS 100 million (2004 investment and 2012 facility expansion references)
2008
Move to higher-speed third-generation pressesGeneration changeBackground
Digital printers needed greater productivity and a lower break-even point against offset as digital printing expanded beyond very short runs.
Action taken
HP introduced the Indigo 7000 and related platforms, including double-engine and label-oriented systems, with substantially higher productivity than earlier generations.
Aftermath
The product family expanded the addressable market for digital commercial printing and strengthened HP Indigo's position in labels and other specialized applications.
2001
Acquire Indigo N.V. and integrate digital offset technologyM&ABackground
Hewlett-Packard had evaluated Indigo's liquid-electrophotographic technology and viewed it as a strong fit for the emerging professional digital-printing market.
Action taken
HP announced an agreement to acquire Indigo's remaining outstanding shares after making a minority investment the previous year.
Aftermath
Indigo became a core technology and brand within HP's professional printing activities, while its Israeli engineering and manufacturing base remained important to subsequent product development.
Potential aggregate acquisition consideration. Up to approximately US$882 million, consisting primarily of HP common stock and a contingent cash payment (Announcement dated September 6, 2001)
Recent events
- 2024
HP expands the Indigo portfolio with current commercial and packaging platforms[2]
Product launch · Product generation
HP's current Indigo portfolio includes commercial, label, flexible-packaging, folding-carton, and high-speed label systems such as the 120K, 18K, 7K, 6K+, 200K, 35K, and V12 presses.
- 2020
HP introduces the LEPx architecture[1]
Product launch · Product generation
HP announced a speed-focused development architecture called LEPx, intended to support a new generation of high-productivity digital presses and substantially higher web-printing speeds.
- 2009
HP Indigo reaches 5,000 presses installed worldwide[1]
Other
HP announced that more than 5,000 HP Indigo digital presses were operating around the world, marking the expansion of the platform beyond its original commercial-printing base.
- 2001
HP announces acquisition of Indigo N.V.[9]
M&A · strategy
Hewlett-Packard announced an agreement to acquire the remaining outstanding shares of Indigo, bringing the Israeli digital-press company into HP's imaging and printing operations.
- 2000
Hewlett-Packard invests in Indigo[9]
M&A · strategy
Hewlett-Packard purchased a minority position in Indigo as it evaluated the company's liquid-electrophotographic technology and its fit with professional digital printing.
- 1995
Indigo expands into packaging with Omnius[1]
Product launch · strategy
The Omnius platform extended Indigo's digital-printing approach to substrates and applications including packaging materials, containers, and other nontraditional surfaces.
- 1994
Indigo completes its Nasdaq initial public offering[1]
Other
Indigo became a publicly traded company during the period in which it was expanding its digital color-printing technology and commercial press portfolio.
- 1993
Indigo launches the E-Print 1000 digital press[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Indigo introduced the E-Print 1000, a direct-to-digital color press designed to remove plate-making steps and make variable short-run production commercially practical.
Sources10 sources
- 1HP Indigo Divisionen.wikipedia.org
- 2HP Indigo Digital Presses: Full Press Portfoliohp.com
- 3HP Indigo Commercial Printing Solutionshp.com
- 4HP Indigo LEP Digital Printing Technologyhp.com
- 5HP Indigo 18K Digital Presshp.com
- 6HP Indigo 6K+ Digital Presshp.com
- 7HP Indigo 35K Digital Presshp.com
- 8HP Indigo corporate entity listinghp.com
- 9HP acquisition materials for Indigohp.com
- 10HP Indigo推出最新解决方案，旨在助力标签包装用户业务增长rfidworld.com.cn
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