Businesses could save up to 4.5 days in labour costs every year, which is equivalent to more than $61 million per year, with inkjet technology, according to Epson, a global technology leader.

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 $5 million per month thanks to significantly fewer user interventions, lower energy costs, less waste and reduced maintenance time.

Key findings from Epson’s study based on Buyers Laboratory’s (BLI) 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 out

•    can cut time spent on user interventions by up to 100 per cent 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 year

•    allow businesses in Western Europe to save collectively more than $5 million per month


“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, Clark pointed out.

“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. – TradeArabia News Service