Businesses could save more than USD 61 million a year with inkjet technology

Businesses could save up to 4.5 days in labour costs every year, which is equivalent to more than USD 61 million per year, according to Epson, extrapolating from new independent tests by Buyers Laboratory LLC (BLI) in Western Europe. The findings come at a time when demand for inkjet printers is expected to grow by 13 per cent per year and account for 34 per cent of the total business printer market by 2019 (source: IDC). 

Epson’s research conducted in Western European countries reveals that by switching from laser to inkjet technology using Epson’s WorkForce Pro printers and copiers, businesses employing between 100 to 499 people could save a combined amount of more than USD 5 million per month thanks to significantly fewer user interventions, lower energy costs, less waste and reduced maintenance time.

Overall, key findings from Epson’s study based on BLI’s research demonstrate that Epson’s WorkForce Pro models:

are up to three and a half times faster than laser and colour copiers for first page out

are up to twice as fast as competitors’ inkjets for first page out2

can cut time spent on user interventions by up to 100% compared to colour lasers and laser copiers on a run of 40,000 prints (based on WorkForce Pro RIPS models)

can save up to 100 minutes of worker time on interventions compared to colour lasers and copiers

can save businesses up to 4.5 working days a year1

allow businesses in Western Europe to save collectively  more than USD 5 million per month (more than USD 61 million a year)2

“It is no wonder that businesses are now making the switch from laser to inkjet. The results show that businesses could gain almost a full week’s worth of additional productivity just with the introduction of inkjet technology in the workplace,” comments Rob Clark, Senior Vice President of Epson Europe. 

“Epson is already experiencing a significant market share growth within the business inkjet sector, with a 20 per cent year on year growth that is forecast to continue. As customer demand for more personalised applications and cost-effective high print volumes begin to guide the printing industry, we expect more and more businesses to make the change to inkjet technology and benefit from the considerable cost savings and productivity gains on offer.”

“The high speed of WorkForce Pro printers has been made possible through the use of Epson’s PrecisionCore printhead, which was initially developed for the commercial market,” Clark continues. “The result translates into end user value: high quality image production, speed, ink and media flexibility, reliability and scalability.” 

WorkForce Pro models with Epson’s unique Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS), which uses super-high-yield ink supply units to deliver up to 75,000 pages of uninterrupted print without the need for a consumables change, can even deliver up to 4.5 times more prints than colour lasers and copiers or up to 17 times more prints than competitive colour inkjets.

“BLI analysts were highly impressed with the Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) design which enables these devices to keep on printing tirelessly, outlasting the competition and boosting uptime. What’s more, replacing the packs is a simple one-handed process,” said BLI’s European managing editor, Simon Plumtree. “It’s clear that with this unit’s powerful value proposition and its bundle of user-friendly features, Epson is on a mission to address some of the pain points that can come with the traditional copier space.”

In addition to delivering increased productivity with lower user intervention, BLI’s tests show that WorkForce Pro models use up to 82% less energy and produce up to 95% less waste7 than laser and copier competitors as well as other environmental benefits such as lower noise emissions. 

“When you look at the proven benefits of inkjet technology, it is no wonder that inkjet printing is now a serious threat to laser dominance. Taking the projected growth rate of inkjet into account, we have only just begun to scratch the surface of the full extent of business opportunity for inkjet printers. Epson will continue to support the shift from laser printing to business inkjet use in the workplace, leveraging the efficiencies it offers to businesses of all sizes,” Clark concludes.