Will the need for fast document production drive the printer industry? September 23, 2011 13:21 by Andy Warburton

In the last year all the major printer ink players, including HP, Epson, Lexmark, Canon, Oki and more, have introduced varying multifunction printer (MFP) ink products onto the market.

But in business, where time is said to be money, what is the most important feature on these types of machines? Is it the ability to produce pages quicker than before, or being cost effective in document production?

According to associate director of print services and solutions at Quocira, Louella Fernandes, many firms require systems that are fast and reliable.

However, she also noted that for the vast number of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) tackling escalating print costs is a top priority.

Ms Fernandes added: "Although some SMBs may outsource large print jobs, such as sales and marketing brochures and collateral, as the cost and performance of colour multifunction printers continues to improve, more SMBs are embracing in-house colour printing for smaller print-runs."

Epson recently introduced three new products to its business printing lineup with the WorkForce WP-4540 and WP-4530 all-in-one machines and the WP-4020 ink jet printer.

The firm claims that each of these devices provides companies with the number one priority for their document production needs, which is high-volume printing at fast speeds and with great flexibility.

On top of this, the machines can produce single and double sided prints at speeds of 16 ISO pages per minute and 11 ISO colour pages per minute, which Epson claims are the fastest in its range.

Rodrigo Catalan, product manager in business ink jets at Epson, said: "Engineered for productivity, all three models offer low running cost for high print volume needs, perform at twice the speed of leading inkjet printers and boast easy-to-operate features for producing high quality documents."

The company added that its ink cartridge capacities also provide longevity for consumers, with black cartridges being able to deliver 2,400 pages and colour ones 1,200 before having to be replaced.

However, for many organisations and institutions, such as Liverpool John Moores University, document production processes come down to saving money through efficient devices.

According to the higher education establishment, adopting a strategic approach to photocopying and printing has reduced its costs by £100,000 per annum.

And going back to Ms Fernandes, she noted that 40 per cent of SMBs did not know how much their printing was costing them, but many classed saving money as their highest priority.

What is apparent is, in a market where there are constant technological advancements in MFPs and other products, printer ink firms must do all they can to marry faster print speeds with low production costs in order to meet the demands of business, and this will drive the industry.