Xerox Opens $24 Million Solid Ink Factory

WILSONVILLE, Ore., Dec. 12, 2007  — Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) today opened a state-of-the art automated ink manufacturing plant to serve growing demand for its proprietary solid ink color printers as more businesses convert from black-and-white to color printing.

The $24 million factory fills 10,000 square feet of previously unused space on the company’s campus here outside of Portland, Ore., and expands Xerox’s production of solid ink by 10 times. Over time, as the plant reaches full capacity, Xerox expects to add 20 employees; about 75 employees work at the factory now.

The new plant will produce Xerox’s latest generation of solid ink, which first became available in September when Xerox launched its Phaser™ 8860 color printer and the Phaser 8860MFP color multifunction printer. These products feature a breakthrough in solid ink technology that for the first time makes color printing as affordable as black and white. Nearly five years in development, the new crayon-like ink sticks have been developed to last longer than ever before. By increasing the total number of color pages the ink sticks produce, Xerox has drastically reduced the price of color printing. When comparing the cost of the device and the ink, printing on the Phaser 8860 is two times less expensive than using equivalent laser printers from other manufacturers.

The ink sticks also produce 90 percent less waste than comparable color laser products and were designed to melt at a lower temperature, reducing energy consumption by 14 percent.

“Xerox has redefined color printing with the advancements we’ve made in solid ink,” said Jim Rise, vice president and general manager of the Solid Ink Business Unit. “Known for its exceptional image quality and ability to print vibrant colors, solid ink was initially the preferred technology for graphic artists. Now, we’ve taken it to a level where solid ink is the affordable, easy to use color printer for businesses of any sort and size. That’s why we’re investing in this new factory; our success in solid ink is really just getting started.

“The plant follows Xerox’s opening in September of a $60 million emulsion aggregation (EA) toner plant near Rochester, N.Y. EA toner produces sharper images than traditional laser printer toner, and uses less toner per page.

Looking for more information about the Xerox line of printers and MFPs?
Give us a call at (88 603-NETS

Inkjet vs. Laser Printers

Which printing technology is right for your office?
Here are some general guidelines to consider before purchasing your next piece of equipment:

Laser Printers
Laser printers have historically had a higher up-front purchase price than their inkjet counterparts. Recently, this has become less of an issue in the monochrome category where prices on desktop and small workgroup printers have dropped dramatically. There has been some movement in the color category as well, making the purchase price more attractive to the small office/home office user. Laser Printers would be a good choice if there are several people who use the device daily, long or complex jobs are frequently run, and where fast print speeds and advanced finishing capabilities are important.

Inkjet Printers
Inkjet Printers typically work well for individuals who want the convenience of a desktop printer with low upfront costs, and photo printing capabilities. An inkjet printer would be a good choice if there is a low print demand, confidential desktop printing is needed in an office environment, or photo features are a high priority. They typically have a lower equipment purchase price, but a higher cost-per-page than comparable Laser Printers.

Either choice has it’s benefits, but you should consider which options are most important to you. Is a lower purchase price more important than the long-term supplies cost? Do you print mainly in monochrome or color? Are the jobs you send typically large and complex, or small and infrequent? By selecting devices that best fit your office needs, you can increase your productivity, and reduce your costs, and that’s always a good result.

Have more questions? Give us a call at (88 603-NETS

New Konica Color All-in-Ones with increased printing workflow

The bizhub C10 and C10X color laser All-in-Ones (AIOs) cater to the increased printing and workflow needs of small and mid-sized offices. Both offer 20 pages per minute monochrome and five pages per minute in color with first-page-out times of 13 seconds or less for black & white and 22 seconds or less for color prints, regardless of the print quality chosen. Documents and photographs can be scanned in less than 4 seconds per black & white page and 10 seconds per 24-bit color page. A Camera Direct Photo Print function allows digital images to be printed directly from a PictBridge enabled digital camera and a variety of media can be used.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. - www.kmbs.konicaminolta.us