Director Michael Schulz said the pair of Indigo 7500s – two of three 7500s operated by Geon – would ease the capacity pressures that sometimes occur with spikes in volume.
He also told ProPrint that their "predictable and repeatable colour" would help SOS convince some clients to transfer from offset printing to an on-demand model.
SOS is installing one of the Indigos at its Sydney headquarters and one in its Brisbane factory. The machines have arrived and are expected to be operational in about a fortnight.
The 124-staff group bought the machines through distributor Currie Group. Schulz wouldn't disclose the price, but said they were "still a big investment", despite being secondhand.
[Related: SOS bridges digital skills gap]
He said SOS had always planned to increase its digital capacity, but that the investment was done a little sooner once the Geon opportunity arose.
"We weren't specifically looking in Sydney for Indigos, but in Brisbane we already have two Indigos [3500 and 5000], and they're going well," he said.
The diverse range of digital capabilities at SOS's Sydney site spans toner, inkjet and now Indigo ElectroInk machines. The line-up includes two Ricoh Pro C901s, a Kodak Prosper 1000 XL, Xeikon 5000 with coater and Océ VarioPrint 6250 with saddlestitcher.
Schulz said the "horses for courses" approach was about being able to offer clients a broader range of options. "It's a spread of machinery and manufacturers. I don't know that one manufacturer can offer you the whole range, and we're trying to cover the gamut of digital production."
Schulz told ProPrint that SOS had no plans to make further digital investments this year, but that things could change quickly if the company spotted an opportunity to boost volumes with a particular client.
"In today's market you need to be very flexible, because it's more unpredictable than ever, so you need to be very quick on making decisions on things like equipment."
[Related: More news about installations]
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter
