Businesses 'spend 5% of revenue on printing' December 29, 2010 10:25 by Chris Rails

Businesses might be buying cheap ink cartridges and energy-saving printers, but do you really know how much you are spending on producing documents?

According to HP, about five per cent of the average company's revenue goes towards printing.

As a result, businesses that are keeping a close eye on costs in the wake of the recession might want to see where efficiencies and savings can be made.

Gary Drysdale, spokesman for HP, said print management services are offered by most printer manufacturers to let companies do precisely this.

Speaking to the Globe and Mail, he stated that the findings can help employers come up with enforceable policies regarding printing documents.

For example, Mr Drysdale noted that some are putting a limit on how much colour ink they can use in order to avoid wasting money.

The Federation of Small Businesses noted this week that confidence among smaller firms in particular has plummeted over the last year.

Add to this the VAT rise that's just around the corner, and it makes perfect business sense to start looking at using your printers and HP ink cartridges more efficiently.