More color, lower costs
Staff -- Purchasing, 12/9/2004 2:00:00 AM
Office equipment buyers who haven't yet considered purchasing color copiers and multifunction products (MFPs) might want to rethink their stance in light of an array of new products designed to bring more color to corporate workgroups at a lower cost.
The new machines, introduced this past fall, deliver color copies faster than their predecessors and offer functions such as scanning, digital imaging and internal memory capable of distinguishing between black-and-white copies. (Canon has a new MFP that it says is designed to work as "a central communications hub" in the office and Xerox proclaims that one of its products is "smart enough" to determine whether a copy needs to be in "black and white" or color.)
The introduction of the new products is well-timed because leasing activity—which one office equipment manufacturer says accounts for 85% of copier and MFP sales—is on an upward trend after a decline in 2003. Indeed, a newly published State of the Industry Report for 2004 by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation forecasts double-digit growth for all leasing activity through 2005.
Canon
The color-enabled Canon imageRUNNER C5800 for high-volume black-and-white production print needs that have occasional color requirements—and the imageRUNNER 5800 with a 58-page-per-minute (PPM) monochrome output option—were introduced this past fall at Canon's Digital Solutions forum in Las Vegas. Both models print full-color output at 16 ppm and deliver output quality to 2,400 x 600 dpi equivalent. They also offer scanning at speeds to 70 ppm (at 300 dpi) and 50 ppm (at 600 dpi) in both color and black and white, with 600 x 600 dpi resolution.
The imageRUNNER C5800 is based on a dual 250 MHz processor design, with up to 768 MB RAM and a 40GB hard disk drive. It offers advanced digital copying, Mail Box features, available network printing, Super G3 fax, and scanning and sending functions.
At the same time, Canon also launched four new-generation, fully programmable monochrome digital MFP imaging systems: The image-RUNNER 2270 and 2870 de-signed for workgroups and the imageRUNNER 3570 and 4570 for corporate departments.
The new models incorporate Canon's MEAP (Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform) technology that permits additional workflow customization, information security and document process control options. The image-RUNNER 2870, 3570 and 4570 print at 28 ppm, 35 ppm and 45 ppm, respectively. All include Canon's new twin-beam laser printing engine that supports increased printing speeds, quieter operation and image resolutions up to 2,400 dpi equivalent x 600 dpi.
Xerox
Xerox's latest product offerings—which include seven MFPs and five digital copiers designed to help boost productivity in the office—were introduced this past fall at TECHNYK in New York City.
The top-of-the-line Xerox WorkCentre Pro C3545 color MFP prints 35 ppm in color and 45 ppm in black and white. It offers scanning, automated meter reads, supplies ordering and finishing and security options.
Its WorkCentre Pro C2128, C2636 and C3545 color MFPs offer speeds of 28 ppm to 45 ppm in black and white and 21 ppm to 35 ppm in color, a 733 MHz Intel Celeron processor, two 18GB hard disks and a first page out time of 6.1 seconds for black and white and 8.5 seconds for color. Additionally, they can print large files. They are also configured as digital color copiers.
Because they can distinguish between "color and black-and-white pages", customers only pay for the color they use, with per-page costs as low as 8.9 cents for color and a penny for black and white.
WorkCentre Pro 123 and 128 monochrome multifunction systems from Xerox operate at 23 and 28 ppm respectively, offer scanning, media handling and copying, and come with a 20GB hard drive, Adobe Postscript 3, a maximum paper capacity of 3,100 sheets and the ability to handle paper to 110 lb. They're also available as WorkCentre M123 and M128 copier/printers, that offer optional fax, and as CopyCentre C123 and C128 standalone digital copiers.
WorkCentre and WorkCentre Pro models both offer 1,200 x 1,200 dpi print resolution and use Xerox's patented emulsion aggregation (EA) toner.
Toshiba
For small to mid-sized workgroups, Toshiba America Business Solutions recently introduced the e-STUDIO200L. It features copy, print, scan and fax functionality with a 20 ppm print speed. The e-STUDIO200L features a 100% recycled toner system that eliminates the need for a toner waste container and can scan up to 60 original documents per minute at user selectable resolutions of 200 or 400 dpi. Scanning can be integrated into workflow when coupled with document management software.
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