Elements is a new brand from International Graphics Sourcing (IGS), whose managing director Nick Wintle said: "The industry needs a green solution ...  I've been talking to a lot of ink companies over the past few years about environmentally friendly ink and a water-based ink was always in my mind."

According to IGS the new machines will open up a new market sector by enabling copy shops and small printers - who would never have been able to use solvent-based machines - to produce outdoor durable graphics.

The water-based ink, which is cured by heat, is similar to HP's Latex technology, but Elements' uses Epson piezo printhead technology rather than HP's thermal heads.

Although other companies have already announced similar water-based inks, including the Sepiax range, which is sold in the UK by B&P Graphic Systems, IGS said that it felt printers needed a complete solution with printer, ink, RIP and substrates to provide the most simple to use and robust offering.

"It needs to be a complete solution; trying to retrofit these inks into existing water-based or solvent printers complicates things," said Wintle.

The Elements range includes three roll-fed machines under the Atom brand: the 610mm-wide Atom 24, 1.2m-wide Atom 44 and 1.6m-wide Atom 64. At Fespa the firm will show the Atom 24 and 44, which will cost £6,000 and £10,000 respectively. Demonstration units will be with dealers in the autumn and customer shipments are expected to commence before the end of the year.  

Elements will be unveiled at Fespa 2010, Munich in Hall B3 stand 490.