Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. plans to expand into a new distribution channel by introducing two new brands: OnDemand SMB and OnDemand Publisher. With the tag line “Powered by Konica Minolta,” the OnDemand SMB and OnDemand Publisher product lines will offer a comprehensive selection of color, monochrome and Production Print systems to meet almost any application or budget.
AT ONE time, the idea that an in-plant could take a document from start to finish on one machine was akin to science fiction. The advent of the multifunctional device (MFD), though, has enabled in-plants to provide more comprehensive service at greater cost savings. An MFD typically consolidates printing, faxing, scanning and copying into one device. Today’s MFDs offer even more features, such as finishing, variable data printing, scanning software that routes documents to various destinations, systems that track paper and toner usage, job status indicators, workflow features and customizing capabilities. Inline bindery features open more possibilities; perfect binding, saddle stitching, stacking,
Jeff Hayzlett, whose Hayzlett & Associates PR firm represents a number of clients in the commercial printing space, has been named vice president and chief marketing officer for Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group (GCG). Hayzlett will spearhead all marketing initiatives for GCG, including product positioning, segment marketing, branding and customer development. He will report directly to GCG President Jim Langley. Mark Bonacorso, vice president of media relations at Hayzlett & Associates, has acquired the firm’s assets from Hayzlett, who will continue to provide counsel through October. The company is expected to change its name at that time.
DESPITE THE rise of digital color printing, in-plants still have a pressing need for good black-and-white printers. These devices form the backbone of many an in-plant. In-plants can sink or swim depending on which printer they choose, though. To help you make the right choice, here are some tips from in-plant managers who have gone though the selection process. First Tip: Know what you’re getting “We did a lot of research,” says Bev Lucas, “and determined what features we needed, and determined which equipment would fulfill our requirements before we contacted vendors.” As manager of Printing Services at Bellevue Community College, in
DESPITE THE tough competitive environment of the past few years, there are still many printers who haven’t seized on new ways to increase their profitability and profits. Studies have shown that print service providers who offer value-added services such as fulfillment, design/creative, digital asset management and/or full color personalized mailing are still in the minority. Change is afoot, however, and for good reason. According to Ralf Schlozer, associate director at InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, a digital print and document technology analyst, 23.6 percent of all digital print jobs currently contain variable data. He predicts that the growth of variable data printing (VDP) will be driven
ALL COPIER manufacturers are now offering hybrid color copier/printers that any company can afford. These products, suitable for business-quality color applications, generally produce less than 40 pages per minute (ppm), with even faster units promised by the manufacturers for 2006 and 2007. Canon, Xerox, Konica Minolta and Ricoh (also offered under the Savin, Lanier and Gestetner labels) have been the hybrid copier/printer manufacturing leaders to-date, but Kyocera Mita, Toshiba and Sharp have also offered hybrid products of merit. This article will explain the reasons for the hybrid copier/printer revolution and what the advantages and challenges are to consumers going forward. Color Hybrids Defined
Four managers detail how they ended “free” student printing, cutting waste and saving money for their schools. Sandy Griffin Copy Center/Communication Services Administrator St. Louis College of Pharmacy Robert Mascarenhas Manager, IT Support and Printing Services University of Technology Sydney, Australia Don Harty Manager, Printing Services University of North Carolina Wilmington Newell Fogelberg Director of Imaging Services University of Colorado Boulder AT MANY universities, students in the computer labs are still allowed to print as many pages as they want—at no charge. This has led to tremendous waste. But in-plants who seek to change the situation are met with resistance from groups who
In-plants are acquiring digital color presses like the iGen3, NexPress 2100 and HP-Indigo 5000 in increasing numbers. Is this the right time for you to make the investment? By Eric W. Martin CONSUMER LUST for high-definition TV is driven by digital technology. If studios and sports broadcasters can deliver a higher-quality image than ye olde cable provides, people are more than willing to shell out the money to see the result. Printing works the same way. As digital technology is adopted and improved upon in color printers, users gain the ability to print better quality images at higher speeds and lower costs with
Monochrome printers provide cost, productivity and flexibility benefits that color printers can’t touch. AS DEMANDS for color printing continue to increase, many wonder about the fate of black-and-white-only printers. Most industry experts say not only will they still be an integral part of a printing operation, they will include more features and improved workflow functions. Paula Balik uses the analogy of a stove and microwave oven. “If you’ve got a microwave now, should you get rid of your oven or does it specifically have applications that make your kitchen efficient?” poses Balik, worldwide product marketing manager for Kodak’s black-and-white printing systems. “That’s what
Full-color variable data printing is not an "if" technology, but a "when." So ask yourself: "What happens if I don't?" And, "If I don't, who will?" By Vic Barkin MAYBE YOU'VE heard this one: A customer walks into your office and says, "We need 50,000 full-color variable data brochures by Friday!" O.K., maybe you haven't. For the past decade, full-color personalization has been proselytized as the printing technology of the future. The vision of millions and millions of pages being produced digitally, in full color, at rated speed, for an audience of one, has been the proverbial pot of gold at the
