By George Mikolay, Senior Product Editor, A3/Copier MFPs, September 1, 2010

When one of our subscribers asked us about how cost per page has changed over the last five years, we decided to do a little digging of our own regarding trends not only in per-page costs, but monthly volumes as well. Here’s what we found out.

“Since the recession began, the industry has seen declining volumes in each segment of product over the last few years,” said Thomas Walter, director of aftermarket sales for Toshiba’s Marketing and Operations. Indeed, he observed, it seems the historic volume pattern of a successor model always printing a little more than its predecessor model has now been completely inverted.

According to Larry Hunt of Larry Hunt Publications, which conducts a wide range of user surveys on document imaging issues, volume on monochrome models in the 85- to 125-ppm speed range is currently about 168,000 impressions a month, down from an average of 250,000 impressions four to five years ago. While the average monthly volume produced on color models in the 30- to 70-ppm speed range experienced significant growth, now averaging about 38,000 impressions, compared with about 8,000 impressions six to seven years ago, this volume has flattened out in the last year or two. An overall decline in usage and total volume per month since the recession began was confirmed by a number of the independent dealers we spoke with as well.

So what’s to blame for the volume decline? One of the key contributors to the decline is the unemployment rate, said Toshiba’s Walter. As employment grows, volumes will too. But with current unemployment levels hovering around 10 percent, and flat hiring projected for the undetermined future, copier vendors and dealers shouldn’t be holding their breath. Adding to the concerns is that the recession hit right when people began migrating to color. Companies are turning color off; people are printing less in general. So it’s not realistic to expect volumes to return to their pre-recession 2007 levels. “We’re not going to sit back and hope volumes come back to 2007 levels,” said Walter. “But if we get 90 percent of 2007 volumes back, we’d consider that a success.”

By George Mikolay, Senior Product Editor, A3/Copier MFPs, August 31, 2010

When you hear about A3 (11" x 17") versus A4 (8.5" x 11"/8.5" x 14") and how the lines are continuing to blur between the products, it’s not exactly groundbreaking news. We’ve been talking about this topic for years. A3 (copier) vendors, who were the first to launch devices with multifunction capabilities including printing, scanning and faxing, first really took notice of A4 (printer) vendors offering multifunctional devices in 2004 with HP’s launch of the LaserJet 4345 MFP. Touted by HP as a “game-changing” product that would “disrupt” the traditional copier-centric multifunctional product market, the device featured a suggested retail price (SRP) that at the time was 72 percent below the average of copier-based multifunction device competitors. Device capabilities were limited, however. In addition to only accommodating paper sizes up to 8.5" x 14", maximum paper capacity was 50 percent below the average of A3-based competitors, and only basic finishing capabilities were offered. The LaserJet 4345’s control panel was also unlike any found on competitive A3 devices, making the transition from traditional A3 devices more confusing for end users.

In the years since then, A4 and A3 models have become much more alike. In fact, today we challenge anyone to look at the control panel of any number of MFPs, and without knowing anything else about them, tell us which control panel belongs to the A4 device and which to the A3 device.

· Customizable touch-sensitive LCD display, in color

· Easy-to-navigate menu system

· Copier-like naming conventions on A4 control panels, such as duplexing

August 31, 2010 - An extensive test conducted by Buyers Lab for HP found that certain papers can cause reliability and image quality problems in laser printers. The test encompassed nearly 2.5 million pages on 50 printers with five paper types. All 30 of the printers run with papers carrying the ColorLok® logo, which signifies that they meet a range of quality standards, produced 50,000 pages—a combined total of 1.5 million pages—with no reliability or image quality issues. In fact, they operated for up to nine times longer than printers running the paper types with large-size particle mineral fillers that do not meet the ColorLok® standard. Printers running ColorLok® papers also experienced more than four times fewer paper jams per paper type and maintained good quality output for up to three times longer than the same printers when run with the low-quality paper types. In addition, the ColorLok® papers left printers cleaner on the inside, leaving behind less paper dust and toner contamination that could potentially contribute to reliability issues.

In the office, it seems we are always in a hurry. For this reason, very rarely does anyone take the time to fix a printer. Instead, they are forced to find a different device so they can complete their task in a time-efficient manner.

Furthermore, IT departments rarely have the time or resources to fix mechanical issues in office devices. But still, they are forced to take control of the issue and organize some sort of fix, whether it is an easy paper jam or having to schedule a repair from a local company.

Luckily, there is a better way. Managed Print Services Programs continually monitor your printer fleet and deliver valuable productivity benefits to your business.

Proactive Service: Managed Print Service means there will be someone monitoring your printer fleet for you. If a printer is out of service, it can often be fixed before it becomes an issue for your business’ productivity.

Nowadays, everyone is looking for ways to cut down their carbon footprint. Unfortunately, it can be fairly expensive to “go green”. Having a green printing strategy can help you save money at the same time as saving the environment.

Office printing consumes a lot of paper and energy. Based on average usages, it is very easy for your office to contribute tens of thousands of pounds of greenhouse gases to the environment a year.

One simple and effective way to reduce your office’s carbon footprint is to set your printers and copiers to default with two sided printing. By turning two pages into one, you can reduce paper usage by 50%. This small step can save up to 60 trees annually and eliminate up to 14,000 lbs of greenhouse gases. It could also save your company money by using less paper!

Not long ago, cellular phones were simply used for phone calls. However, today we can e-mail, text, surf the internet, take pictures, and even watch movies on our cell phones. It is very clear that we expect a single device to do more than just one task. This should not be any different in the workplace.

With the digital revolution in full swing, people are getting more and more used to working with a myriad of devices, each designed to make our lives just that little bit more convenient. The traditional office probably includes printers, fax machines, copiers and scanners. These devices not only take up physical space, but they also consume financial resources. 

Just as our cell phones have integrated with other devices, a multifunction printer (MFP) can combine various document-related tasks into one easy-to-manage machine. With a MFP, your company can cut overhead costs and free up valuable space. Plus, you can help enable remote employees with easy online integration.

Documents are a vital part to any organization. Unfortunately, they can also cost a lot of money! The high cost of printing can take up nearly 3% of annual revenue.

However, there is good news. When the expense of document printing is managed properly it can be reduced by an average of 30%. On top of cutting costs, you can increase productivity simultaneously.

The strategy? Centralizing the purchase of printer supplies.

Many organizations purchase printing supplies by workgroup or department. When these supplies are mixed in with the purchasing of office supplies the expense can buried, making it very difficult to manage.

It is very easy for your IT team to become overwhelmed by end user issues and lose sight of your company’s core business initiatives. Many of these end user issues relate to office printing. Paper jams, offline systems and supply shortages consume IT professionals because rarely can they fix these issues remotely.

Luckily, there is a solution. Managed Print Services (MPS) can help your IT personnel focus on their tasks. Furthermore, MPS will make your entire printer fleet more efficient and cost effective by eliminating printer management from the tasks of your IT team and providing the following services:

· On Site Service: A certified technician will come to your office to take care of any service issues with your devices.

· Maintenance: Like all mechanical devices, printers require maintenance. With MPS, your devices will receive preventative maintenance to minimize printer downtime.

With easy access to scanning and email, it is very easy to believe that the fax machine is as good as gone. However, when choosing equipment for your office, keep in mind that many people do not have easy access to scanners. In fact, despite advancements in technology, the use of fax machines is actually on the rise.

There are a great number of people, especially clients that find it necessary to use a fax machine. Do not limit your client base by not offering a technology your clients need.

The use of color documents is continuing to rise in almost every industry. Therefore, you are probably looking for ways to reduce their color output costs. Fortunately, there are several smart ways that you can enjoy the benefits of color printing.

Tip 1: Avoid Ink Jet Printers

Color ink jet printers are often bundled with the purchase of a PC. Therefore, it is easy to accumulate them without actually purchasing them. Unfortunately, they are actually the most expensive color output devices to operate when running full-color documents longer than 1-2 pages.

Tip 2:  Eliminate Unnecessary Background Color

Documents with solid color backgrounds use a considerable amount of toner and take more time to process, slowing down the printing time. This can cause costs to skyrocket.

You can increase productivity and reduce costs by using bright colors on a white background. While a colorful background may look good on your computer screen, that same image will actually look more professional when printed with a white background.