What do Epson's inkjet-only aspirations mean for the printer industry? June 29, 2011 09:42 by Chris Rails

As Epson announces that it plans to become an inkjet-only outfit over the coming years, the printer industry has been left wondering exactly what this will mean for them. Are other major manufacturers likely to follow suit? Does this spell the end for laser printers? These are questions that only time will have the answer to, but this has not stopped experts speculating over what the future will hold.

Rob Clark, executive director of marketing at Epson Europe, highlighted in an exclusive interview with ITProPortal that the company ultimately hopes for inkjet printers to infiltrate the corporate sector. By starting with small and medium-sized companies, Epson will be able to test the water and see exactly how businesses cope without laser printers to fall back on.

The precise reasons for Epson's decision are perhaps unclear, but it may partly be based on its lack of intellectual property (IP) rights for parts of laser printers. At present, it uses third party systems, which it would no longer rely on if it were to become an inkjet-only manufacturer.

Matt Whipp, editor of printweek.com, observes: "If you don't own the IP it's going to be a less attractive product, especially so with these kinds of manufacturers as Epson doesn't just make desktop machines, but also wide format, photographic and proofing specialist devices and these are inkjet." He stressed that it is important for companies to be certain that their research and development is benefiting a whole range of products, which would be the case for Epson if it scrapped laser devices.

Mr Whipp suggested that Epson may be planning on investing more in the research and development of superfast inkjet print heads, which could enable it to stand out against competitors. He named the HP T-series, Kodak Prosper and the Fujifilm Jet Press as systems that already benefit from such technology, which therefore puts the pressure on Epson to follow their lead.

Epson is already showing how serious it is about making an impression on the business printer market with the launch of its latest range of devices, the WorkForce Pro. It claims that in comparison to a laser alternative, the machines are just as reliable, but their ink cartridges can print pages with a 50 per cent price reduction.

At a time when companies are seeking to lower their costs, this could well prove an attractive proposition. Inkjet printers may also have had something of a negative image in the past, but Epson is hoping to quell these perceptions with its future designs. Tony Petford, vice-president of sales, informed ITPro that these latest devices could only have been produced by Epson due to their Micro Piezo inkjet nozzle technology, which does not wear out as quickly as alternatives from rival providers.

Printer manufacturers such as Epson will no doubt continue to respond to consumer demands, but whether this involves phasing out laser devices completely remains to be seen. Technology will develop further and only time will tell just how much of an impact Epson's inkjet-only vision has on the wider market.