RRD expands HP agreement

HP and RRD have expanded their strategic agreement to deploy 15 HP digital presses across key RRD manufacturing locations, extending their relationship through 2029 and supporting RRD's SMART (Systematic Manufacturing, Automation & Robotic Transformation) manufacturing framework.

The deployment builds on the investment announced at drupa 2024 and will expand RRD's digital production capacity and operational flexibility. It reflects RRD's continued investment in HP's digital print technologies and services to meet client needs across commercial print, direct mail, packaging, labels and statement applications.

The earlier announcement committed RRD to installing in excess of fifteen HP Indigo and PageWide presses, joining its existing fleet across facilities in North America, China and Central America. 'We are committed to delivering the highest quality brand experiences for our clients' customers through multiple touchpoints in the physical and digital customer journey. We have a strategic relationship with HP that provides us with early access to innovative technology that continues to make print a valuable medium,' said John Pecaric, COO at RRD.

By integrating HP technology into its standardized data infrastructure, RRD supports its SMART architecture, which enables AI-driven predictive maintenance, dynamic production scheduling and network capacity balancing to help mitigate supply chain disruptions.

'Customers increasingly expect print to be more personalized and responsive to their needs, whether it's a statement, a direct mail campaign or a package. They need greater flexibility without compromising the reliability and consistency they expect at scale. This expansion gives us the capacity and capabilities to deliver on both, while enabling our teams to take on more complex, data-driven work with increased speed and efficiency,' noted Craig Roberton, president, marketing and operational print at RRD.

For the packaging and labels business, RRD relies on its connected global network. 'The market is constantly changing, and with our highly connected, global network we remain committed to investing in the right technology to meet our clients' evolving needs. Speed to market, high-quality products, and strong partnerships are important to our clients. We continue to keep those priorities top of mind,' commented Lisa Pruett, president, packaging and labels segment at RRD.

HP and RRD have worked together for more than 30 years to advance large-scale digital print production across RRD's global network.

'The agreement between RRD and HP goes beyond the purchase of assets. It ensures that technological advancements are incorporated into future thinking and project planning. By continuing to collaborate, both companies work closer together and find opportunities to advance manufacturing technologies, associated automation and functionality to remain highly competitive,' stated Alan Gardner, senior vice president of engineering and process management at RRD.

'RRD has been one of the industry's most forward-looking print providers for decades, consistently investing in technologies that create a real operational and commercial advantage. This next phase reflects the confidence RRD has in HP technology to support their production strategy. Together, we're helping build a more connected, agile and digitally driven future for the graphics industry,' explained Oran Sokol, vice president of strategy and solutions at HP Graphics Solutions Business.