Introduction
Commercial printers are rethinking how they produce envelopes. Offset presses that once handled every job now sit idle between long runs, while toner-based digital systems struggle to keep per-piece costs down.
Offset-lithography demand has been shrinking at a 2.5% CAGR, falling from $354.4 billion in 2019 with further declines projected through 2029, according to a Smithers market report on digital versus offset printing.
Meanwhile, short-run envelope jobs remain a headache for print shops still relying on offset or outsourcing. High makeready costs eat into margins, turnaround times drag, and sending work outside means losing control over quality and deadlines.
This article breaks down the iJetColor 1175: what it is, the technology behind it, its cost and ROI profile, where it fits best, and how it compares against offset and toner alternatives.
Key Takeaways
- Delivers durable, water-resistant output with HP PageWide pigment inkjet technology
- Cuts short-run waste with setup as short as 1–2 envelopes per job
- Reaches payback in as little as 12 months for qualifying print operations
- Prints full-bleed, variable-data envelope jobs at production speed
- Includes manufacturer-direct service through iJetColor’s MFG Direct Support model
What Is the iJetColor 1175?
The iJetColor 1175 is a high-speed digital inkjet envelope press made by iJetColor, a brand of Printware, a company with more than 40 years in the printing industry. It's designed for one specific job: letting commercial printers, mailing providers, and in-house print operations run short-to-mid volume envelope work profitably, without shipping it out to a trade printer.
That's a meaningful shift. Many shops still outsource envelope jobs because the volume doesn't justify an offset run, or because their toner equipment can't keep pace with turnaround demands. The 1175 targets that exact gap.
Under the hood, it runs on HP PageWide technology with the HP FI-1000 printhead for full-color printing. That delivers the speed and image quality print buyers expect, without plate changes or the lengthy prep work offset requires.
Within iJetColor's lineup, the 1175 is the accessible entry point:
- 1175 Pro — higher throughput for shops with heavier volume needs
- Pro PXG — same platform extended to short-run packaging (boxes, bubble mailers)
Every 1175 sale comes with iJetColor's MFG Direct Support model. Instead of routing service calls through a reseller or third-party technician, buyers work directly with iJetColor's own service engineers — a distinction that matters when a machine goes down mid-run.
Key Features and Technology
Full-Bleed Printing and Ink Durability
The 1175 supports full-bleed printing on all four edges. Envelope designs with color running to the edge look noticeably more professional than pieces with white borders, a small detail print buyers notice on marketing mail and branded correspondence.
The ink itself is pigment-based, water- and scratch-resistant, and formulated to hold up through mail handling and weather exposure. iJetColor's HP 990 pigment inks carry certification from the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) under ISO 11798, which tests resistance to light, water, and abrasion (the same standard applied to archival-grade printed documents).
Throughput and Setup Time
Across the 1175 platform, throughput scales with configuration:
- Standard: 4,285 envelopes per hour
- 1175 Pro: 10,000+ envelopes per hour
- Monthly capacity (Pro): 150,000+ envelopes
What really separates it from offset, though, is makeready. A new job on the 1175 typically requires just 1 to 2 test envelopes before full production starts. One Loris Printing operator put it simply: setups are "1 or 2 envelopes for the most part, so waste is low."
That's a stark contrast to offset, where every job change means a plate swap and a run of waste sheets before color and registration settle in.
Variable Data at Full Speed
The 1175 also handles variable data printing (personalized names, addresses, and content) without slowing down production. That matters as direct mail performance has shifted toward personalization.
In a Keypoint Intelligence survey of businesses using direct mail, 97% reported higher response rates from personalized mail, with 56% calling the improvement significant, according to research published by WhatTheyThink.
Beyond personalization, heavier-substrate configurations use adjustable printhead height for media up to 2 inches thick, so shops can run padded envelopes and heavier pieces beyond standard #10 stock.
Cost Savings and ROI
For shops weighing the investment, the math comes down to three things: how fast the machine pays for itself, what it costs per piece, and how much labor and outsourcing it eliminates.
iJetColor cites a payback period as short as 12 months for shops running a benchmark volume of roughly 32 orders per month, at 1,000 envelopes per order, averaging $200 per order. Reaching or exceeding that volume makes the numbers work quickly.
Where the Savings Come From
- Eliminates outsourcing and vendor management; Greenhaven Printing called the shift "twice the speed and half the cost"
- Runs with existing shop staff—most operators need little specialized training
- Limits makeready waste to 1–2 envelopes, so short runs don't bleed money on spoilage
- Removes plate, chemical, and blanket costs that offset jobs still carry
Ink cost per piece varies by envelope weight:
| Envelope Weight | Approx. Ink Cost per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Light | $2.90 |
| Medium | $8.15 |
| Heavy stock | $38.65 |
Compared with toner-based systems, iJetColor's press line runs at roughly one-third the cost per piece while printing about three times faster.
For a shop sending 5,000 envelopes a month to an outside vendor, bringing that volume in-house on a 1175 cuts costs and returns turnaround control to the shop. The margin gain and scheduling flexibility show up quickly on the invoice.
With 1,500+ customers and 2,500+ machines deployed nationwide, this cost performance holds across a wide range of shop sizes, not just a handful of case studies.
Applications and Use Cases
The 1175 fits a specific customer profile: businesses that need professional, full-color envelope output at volumes too small for offset but too large (or too frequent) for outsourcing to make sense.
Primary customer segments include:
- Commercial printers running mixed job types
- Printing franchises, including Minuteman Press, AlphaGraphics, Sir Speedy, PIP Printing, and Allegra
- Direct mail and mailing service providers
- In-house corporate and government print operations
At Minuteman Press in Bellerose, NY, operator Luis Roman put it simply:
"It's very accurate. The colors are good. It's very easy to manipulate. Easy to run and set up. Zero percent problems!"
Those shops typically run jobs like:
- Marketing mail and promotional envelopes
- Personalized direct mail with variable data
- Short-run full-color envelope work that used to go out of house
With adjustable printhead height, the same press also handles padded mailers and light packaging substrates that standard envelope equipment can't run.
iJetColor 1175 vs Offset and Toner Printing
Print shops evaluating the 1175 are usually comparing it against two alternatives they already know well: offset and toner-based digital presses. Here's how the comparison shakes out.
| Factor | Offset | Toner-Based Digital | iJetColor 1175 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup per job | Plate change + makeready | Faster than offset, still slower setup | 1-2 envelopes |
| Cost per piece (short runs) | High due to waste and plates | Higher CPP than large-format inkjet | ~1/3 the cost vs. comparable toner systems |
| Print speed | Fast at long runs only | Moderate | Up to 3x faster than toner systems |
| Output durability | Varies by ink and stock | Standard toner adhesion | RISE-certified, water/light/abrasion resistant |
Setup and waste are where the gap is widest. Offset requires a plate for every job and a makeready period before color and registration stabilize. That process varies significantly by press age and automation level, according to WhatTheyThink's analysis of digital-versus-offset crossover points. The 1175 skips it entirely with a 1-2 envelope setup.
Speed and cost-per-piece favor the 1175 over toner. iJetColor's press line runs roughly three times faster than comparable toner systems while costing about a third as much per piece. That gap widens on higher-volume short runs, where toner's per-page economics start to hurt.
Durability is where pigment inkjet earns its keep for mail specifically. HP 990 pigment inks are tested to ISO 11798 for light, water, and abrasion resistance. Those factors matter when envelopes pass through sorting equipment, mailboxes, and weather before they reach a recipient's hands.
Why Choose iJetColor for Your 1175 Investment
Buying capital equipment is a long-term commitment. Look past the spec sheet at who stands behind the machine.
iJetColor's press line earned the 2020 PRINTING United Alliance Product of the Year award in the digital press category. That honor went specifically to the 1175 Pro in a competition with more than 200 entries across 85 categories, according to the official PRINTING United Alliance announcement. The standard 1175 shares the same core engineering platform.
Beyond the award, three things stand out:
- MFG Direct Support: Customers reach iJetColor's own service engineers directly, rather than routing calls through a reseller network
- 40+ years of industry experience as Printware, long before the iJetColor brand existed
- 1,500+ customers and 2,500+ machines deployed across commercial printers, franchises, and institutional buyers nationwide
For a shop making a five- or six-figure equipment decision, that combination of proven technology and direct manufacturer support matters as much as the throughput numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the iJetColor 1175 used for?
It's a high-speed digital inkjet press for printing short-to-mid volume envelopes and direct mail. It handles full-color, full-bleed output and variable data personalization at production speed.
How fast is the iJetColor 1175 inkjet envelope printer?
The standard configuration runs 4,285 to 7,810 envelopes per hour. Higher-throughput setups exceed 10,000 per hour, with monthly capacity above 150,000 pieces.
What is the typical payback period for the iJetColor 1175?
Payback can be as short as 12 months for shops hitting a benchmark volume, driven by reduced outsourcing costs, lower labor needs, and minimal makeready waste compared to offset.
What ink technology powers the iJetColor 1175?
The platform uses HP pigment-based inks, including HP 990 ink certified by RISE under ISO 11798 for resistance to light, water, and abrasion. That durability matters for mail that faces handling and weather.
Does the iJetColor 1175 support variable data printing?
Yes. It prints personalized addressing and content at full production speed, so targeted direct mail stays on pace with the rest of the job.
What's the difference between the iJetColor 1175 and the 1175 Pro?
The 1175 Pro offers higher throughput, exceeding 10,000 envelopes per hour, and won the 2020 PRINTING United Alliance Product of the Year award. The standard 1175 is the accessible entry point in the same product family.
