Konica Minolta Introduces Two New Color MFPs

RAMSEY, NJ -- 02/24/09 -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today launched the bizhub® C652/C552 Series of color multifunctional products (MFPs -- print, copy, fax, and scan all in one system). The bizhub C652 and bizhub C552 systems produce affordable and attention-grabbing color when customers require it most while adding exceptional black-and-white documents. Both systems can fit into any mid-to-large workgroup or business environment in addition to light production environments.

Built upon the strong success of the award-winning line of bizhub MFPs, the bizhub C652/C552 Series offers seamless connectivity to deliver exceptional performance, high image quality and reliability with a low total cost of ownership. The standard security features make them ideal for those environments and government organizations that require protection of their highly sensitive data.

Both systems feature Konica Minolta's proprietary Simitri® HD Color Polymerized Toner, which gives every document you print sharper text, enhanced fine detail, richer colors and greater long-term resistance to fading. The bizhub C652 provides fast 50 ppm color output speed, 65 ppm B&W output for everyday documents, and ultra-high-speed scanning at up to 78 originals per minute (opm) for storage, sharing and Email distribution. Fast, compact and affordable, the bizhub C552 provides spectacular color output at up to 45 ppm -- plus cost-effective B&W prints and copies at up to 55 ppm for everyday document needs.

"With high system productivity, reduced energy consumption, and our bEST solution platform, we can provide our customers with an efficient workflow solution," said Kevin Kern, vice president, marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. "The bizhub C652/C552 Series from Konica Minolta helps organizations meet a variety of their business needs with an effective tool to help their business stay ahead in today's competitive marketplace."

Featuring a full suite of PageScope® application solutions, the bizhub C652/C552 Series offers end-users powerful, simple solutions to help scan, store, distribute and archive information quickly and more cost effectively -- to speed workflow and realize the full potential of the newest line of bizhub color MFPs as a central document resource that moves information faster.

Based on the bizhub OP architecture which includes the Emperon® Print System, the bizhub C652/C552 Series supports printing, copying, scanning and optional faxing. Among the new features and functions available are increased memory, one finisher option that can meet all finishing needs, separate black drum and developer, color Internet faxing, expanded User Box functionality, optional banner printing, and monthly duty cycles of up to 250,000 impressions on the bizhub C652 and 200,000 impressions on the bizhub C552.

Pricing and Availability

The bizhub C652/C552 Series is available now through Konica Minolta's North American direct sales, authorized dealer and value-added reseller channels. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the bizhub C652 is $32,500, and the bizhub C552 is $26,250.

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is a leader in advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop. In 2008, Konica Minolta was recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys. For more information, please visit http://www.kmbs.konicaminolta.us.

Konica Minolta is a trademark of Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. bizhub, Emperon, and PageScope are registered trademarks of Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. Simitri is a registered trademark of Konica Minolta Business Solutions, U.S.A., Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

MFP Weekend Industry Notes 2/22/09

The following is a quick review of copier/MFP industry news from various trade publications.

- The scientist who made complaints about the emissions coming from Hewlett Packard laser printers. Lidia Marowaska of Queensland Institute of Technology in Australia has produced a second study that claims that the HP laser printers emit submicron-sized particles formed by complex reactions between volatile organic compounds. Apparently the particles are coming from the fuser rollers. Prior claim was rebuffed by Hewlett Packard. HP has yet to respond to this second study.

- Ricoh displayed its MFPs and demonstrated the security go here.......http://mfpsolutions.blogspot.com/

KIP Color 80 Goes to Market

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KIP now shipping the Color 80, featuring high speed, wide format color using toner, not inkjet:
- uses LED technology
- Top speed of 4 “D” size posters per minute
- Unlike wide format inkjet printers, the print speed does not slow down if the poster has heavy ink coverage
- 600x600 dpi
- 4 drawers to hold paper rolls
- Extended length printing to 19.7 feet
- Manual sheet bypass for 22”x17” up to 36”x48”
- File formats accepted include; HPGL, HPGL/2, HP-RTL, DWF, PDF, Cals G4, Intergraph CIT/TG4, EPS, TIF, JPEG, JPEG2000, PNG, BMP, GIF, TGA, RLC/RL
- Images are waterproof and lightfast
- Supports media including; standard bond, photo gloss, film, billboard blue back and self-adhesive substrates
- Base MSRP of $98,995.00
- Weighs 2,200 lbs.
- Options include:
- Production Printing Suite = $3500
- Premium Color RIP = $3700.00
- PostScript print driver = $3700.00
- Scan station = $22,000.00
- Auto print stacker = $2,795.00
- Auto folding system = $39,995.00
- Fully loaded MSRP of $136,480.00

Notes from Art: $2,000 per month to lease this system for 60 months. At 4 pages per minute, I'm not sure where the market is. No thick stock capability, no color matching (EFI, Splash, etc). Will the system slow down for heavy graphics? What's the cost per foot? Need a lot more information is I was going to get on eof these.

Samsung Launches Fastest Ever A4 Digital Multi-function Printer

Here they go again, Sammy fastest ever A4 (non 11x17)MFP, and just think, the rumors aboud that Sammy will have a 70ppm and 90ppm monochrome MFP's out sometime in 09. Hold onto your hats!!!!

12th February 2009 – London, UK – Samsung Electronics UK, a leading innovator in the world’s technology industry, has unveiled the fastest colour A4 digital multi-function printer (MFP) in the world. The MultiXpress CLX-8380ND answers the colour printing, copying, scanning and faxing needs of small to medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprise workgroups. The MFP delivers top-quality colour prints with low maintenance costs and easily integrates with the entire range of Samsung’s printing solutions.

The MultiXpress CLX-8380ND produces vivid, professional prints at lightning-fast speeds. In fact, this MFP prints colour A4 pages as quickly as black-and-white – at speeds up to 38 pages-per-minute (PPM), ensuring that users do not have to wait for their prints. Equipped with laser technology, the MFP’s high-resolution prints (1,200 by 1,200 dpi effective output) are crisp and clear – ideal for printing important business documents. The MultiXpress CLX-8380ND provides for the entire range of business document needs by also supporting colour scanning and faxing. The MFP comes equipped with network-ready features to ensure that multiple people across a company’s network can simultaneously share the MFPs, saving businesses the cost of buying multiple machines, while the compact design and small footprint conserves valuable office space.

With a monthly duty cycle of 100,000 pages, the MultiXpress CLX-8380ND is a highly durable and cost-effective machine for businesses that frequently need to print in colour. The MFP offers a low cost per print, combined with durable printer parts and long-lasting toner cartridges, which results in a low total cost of ownership for the device, especially when compared to A3 copier machines. The MultiXpress CLX-8380ND also delivers double-sided printing, again saving money by instantly reducing paper consumption by half.

An optional software platform called Jscribe™ makes it simple to build a customised package of Samsung and third party printing solutions, enhancing the performance and cost-effective features of the MultiXpress CLX-8380ND for everyone in the company – from IT managers and procurement teams, to accounting departments and individual employees.

For instance, Samsung SyncThru™ is a built-in tool which helps IT departments to easily integrate Samsung products with their current printers and MFPs, as well as remotely configure and manage the entire fleet of devices. SmarThru™ Workflow, an optional upgrade, is especially useful for accounting, administration and order management departments because it digitises and sends scanned and faxed documents to multiple locations at the same time, including e-mail, fax, server message blocks, FTP sites and the Internet. For individual users, Samsung’s SmarThru™ Office is a bundled solution which makes it simple to manage scanned files by converting scanned documents to a variety of formats, before sending them directly to named folders on an employee’s desktop.

Steve Pearce, Product Manager at Samsung’s Print division commented: “We’re proud to be able to give our business customers the fastest colour printing possible at a low cost of ownership, showing that we really do understand this vital business market. The additional software and options available free with the machine are just a few examples of how the range of Samsung print solutions can be mixed and matched to tailor to specific company needs.”

“We’re also happy to announce that Samsung has extended its range of print solutions, helping businesses get the most from their printers,” Pearce added. “Benefits include document and device management, security, improved workflow and detailed reporting – all of which meet our high standards of design and functionality, helping make life easier and increase operational efficiencies for businesses of all sizes.”

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, Telecommunication, Business and Digital Appliance Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/UK/printer.

New Océ Arizona 350 XT UV curable flatbed printer for huge,

New Océ Arizona 350 XT UV curable flatbed printer for huge,
high quality prints

Extra-large 8-foot by 10-foot table, White Ink Option, and Roll Media Option in one printer deliver true production capability at the highest possible print quality

Feb. 10, 2009 – Trumbull, CT – The award-winning Océ Arizona® family of digital flatbed printers has expanded yet again with the introduction of the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer with a dramatically enlarged flatbed table. This latest model in the Océ Arizona family is capable of producing rigid prints as large as 98.4 by 120 inches. A White Ink Option and a Roll Media Option are also available. The Océ Arizona 350 XT printer will make its U.S. debut in Océ booth #4343 at the International Sign Expo, April 16-18 in Las Vegas.

Extra width increases rigid printing capacity
The extra width of the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer enables it to be used in a continuous imaging mode for rigid media up to 49.2 by 98.4 inches, or a standard 4- by 8-foot board. Two rigid boards of this size can be mounted on separate vacuum areas of the flatbed table. While one board is being printed, the other can be changed by the operator. Since the printer never has to stop printing for a media change, users can significantly increase their net print production on boards of this size.

With the Roll Media Option installed, users can print onto flexible media up to 87 inches wide. The media roll can be unloaded at any time without interrupting rigid printing, and there is no down time to reconfigure the system to change from one print mode to the other.

These features were designed to deliver a true production printer regardless of media. With the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer, digital print providers can offer complete visual communications packages on a wide variety of media and be assured of high throughput, superior image quality and print consistency.

Production print speeds
The Océ Arizona 350 XT printer features production print speeds up to 248 square feet per hour on rigid media and up to 188 square feet per hour using the Roll Media Option. This enables users to print nearly sixty 4- by 8-foot boards in a single eight-hour shift, or more than 1615 square feet of flexible media.
A member of the award-winning Océ Arizona Series Joining the world's best-selling UV curable, flatbed printer line, the new, larger Océ Arizona 350 XT printer supports all the upgrades and options available for the Océ Arizona Series including the White Ink Option, Roll Media Option and Static Suppression Option. When fully equipped, the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer can image on almost any rigid or flexible media used in the display graphics market in brilliant CMYK color plus white. It can produce a variety of visual communications from banners to backlits and foam-board to furniture.

Additional features to popular Océ Arizona family
The Océ Arizona 350 XT printer adds an extra large table platform to the popular Océ Arizona family of UV curable flatbed printers. The other Océ Arizona models can print onto rigid media up to 49” wide x 98” long x 1.89” thick. The Océ Arizona 350 GT printer uses four-color (CMYK) inks with a White Ink Option and prints at speeds of up to 239 square feet per hour. The Océ Arizona 250 GT printer uses four-color (CMYK) ink and prints at speeds of up to 172 square feet per hour. The Océ Arizona 200 GT printer also uses four-color (CMYK) ink and prints at speeds of up to 101 square feet per hour.

Available options help customers grow their business
The Océ Arizona Series of printers offers a secure investment with upgrade paths and available options that can be added as business needs grow. All can be equipped with a Roll Media Option in the factory or in the field. The Océ Arizona 350 XT and the Océ Arizona 350 GT printers can be upgraded to include the White Ink Option in the factory or in the field. The Océ Arizona 200 GT printer – designed for light production environments – can be upgraded to the Océ Arizona 250 GT version to take advantage of higher production speeds. All Océ Arizona Series printers use UV curable inks and Océ VariaDotTM imaging technology to deliver near-photographic image quality for nearly any application. And they all share the same robust architecture and deliberate design that offer the Océ values of quality, reliability, productivity and user-friendliness.

White ink expands capabilities
The available White Ink Option for the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer enables under-printing for non-white media or objects, over-printing for backlit applications on transparent media and printing white as a spot color. Under-printing white ink provides a base for non-white surfaces upon which color can be added, giving users the ability to expand their range of offerings to include specialty applications. Over-printing white ink provides a diffusion layer for backlit applications that will be viewed from the unprinted side, enabling users to produce high quality backlit images for point-of-purchase applications. The ability to also print white ink as a spot color enables white features of images to be highlighted for greater effect.

Opportunities for applications that command premium prices
The flatbed table on the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer is so big, users can print on oversized items such as garage doors. It can also print on irregularly shaped or non-square items, heavy substrates such as glass, or materials that have an uneven surface such as wood. This is an advantage over competitive rigid-capable printers that use belt or friction-based media feed systems as they can only print on square-cornered, lightweight materials of uniform thickness. The Océ Arizona 350 XT printer, along with the White Ink Option, opens the printing possibilities to more exotic applications that command premium prices.

The Roll Media Option gives customers the ability to print onto flexible media including vinyl, self-adhesive vinyl, scrim banner, paper and blue backed paper without compromising the rigid printing workflow. The media roll can be unloaded at any time without interrupting rigid printing, and there is no down time to reconfigure the system to change from one print mode to the other.

Beyond display graphics applications
The Océ Arizona 350 XT printer is ideal for producing a wide variety of display graphics such as event graphics, point-of-purchase displays, limited-term signage, banners, backlit and reflective rigid displays, transit advertising, and directional signage. But because of its ability to print on a range of materials not predetermined simply by “square, flat and thin” and its support of white ink, the Océ Arizona 350 XT printer can produce applications beyond the norm including custom furniture, glasswork, fixture enhancement, fine art, or nearly anything that the imagination can conceive.

Availability
The Océ Arizona 350 XT printer is expected to be available for U.S. deliveries in the second quarter of 2009. For more information, visit www.oce.com.
Océ Display Graphics Systems

Océ Display Graphics Systems is a leading provider of professional, large format solutions for indoor and outdoor color display graphics applications. Océ solutions are specifically designed to enhance the revenue and profit opportunities for service providers by combining hardware with workflow software and the expertise to help companies expand into digital large format color. From extremely high-quality UV curable flatbed printers to outdoor-durable roll-based systems, Océ offers a total solution including hardware, software, imaging supplies, finishing systems, service & support, and financing. Customers benefit in working with a full-service partner they can count on to help their businesses grow.

About Océ
Océ is a leading international provider of digital document management technology and services. The company’s solutions are based on Océ’s advanced software applications that deliver documents and data over internal networks and the Internet to printing devices and archives -- locally and around the world. Supporting the workflow solutions are Océ digital printers and scanners, considered the most reliable and productive in the world. Océ also offers a wide range of display graphics, consulting and outsourcing solutions.

Océ employs around 23,000 people, with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.3 billion, operates in more than 90 countries and maintains research and manufacturing centers in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Romania and Singapore. Océ North America is headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL; New York City; Boca Raton, FL; Salt Lake City, UT and Vancouver, BC. North American revenues represented approximately half of Océ’s worldwide business in 2008, and employment is approximately 10,000. For more information about Océ, visit www.oceusa.com. Outside the U.S., consult www.oce.com.
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Listing information for this release:
Océ North America
5450 North Cumberland Ave.
Chicago, IL 60656
U.S. toll free 800-714-4427
local 773-714-8500
fax 773-714-4056
web www.oceusa.com/odgs
email us.info@oce.com

“Océ” and the Océ logo are registered trademarks, and “Océ VariaDot” is a trademark of Océ-Technologies B.V. “Océ Arizona” is a registered trademark of Océ Display Graphics Systems. All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks and are the property of their owners and are respectfully acknowledged.

Eight Top Points to Lease or Buy a New MFP Copy Machine

Don't remember where I found this, I did not write it. However it is good information if you are thinking about leasing or buying a new copier.

Flexibility Of Structure - deferred rental payments, seasonal rental payments, balloon payments, quarterly rental payments, unequal periodic rental payments, periodic rental payments that begin low and increase throughout the lease term, and periodic rental payments which begin high and decrease throughout the lease term

Small Initial Cash Outlay - equipment leases generally do not require a down payment as is the case with most loans. The cash which is required at inception of an equipment lease is generally applied to periodic rental payments.

Rent Expense - provided the lease is structured properly you may deduct the entire rental payment as a current operating expense for financial reporting and for income tax purposes.

Warranty Pass Through - although the lessor is the owner of the asset you have the full benefit of all manufacturer’s and seller’s warranties and guaranties.

Expanded Credit Availability - provided the lease is structured properly, the ‘lease debt’ will not be listed as a liability on your financial statements and consequently may allow you to preserve your borrowing availability with your bank and other creditors. This will also result in improved debt-to-equity and earnings-to-fixed assets ratios.

Avoidance Of Financial Restrictions - many loan agreements and credit line agreements significantly restrict additional borrowing or financing. In some instances, a borrower must obtain the permission of an existing lender to do business with another. Equipment leasing, as a rule, does not have these types of restrictions.

Clarity Of Specific Uniform Commercial Code Filings - many banks and commercial finance companies that finance capital equipment acquisitions will file an "all encompassing" financing statement with the Secretary of State in the state where the asset is located and in the state where the business is registered. Generally, these filings which are part of the Public Record are very broad and may convey to the bank or other commercial lender an "interest" in any and all of the other assets of the business. Leasing companies also file financing statements with the same agencies, however, these statements are generally very specific with regard to the asset being financed and are done for information purposes only.

Simplified Credit Process - an equipment lease is generally easier to obtain than an equipment loan. It’s not uncommon for leasing companies to provide up to $75,000 in financing with only an application. Some leasing companies will go as high as $150,000 on the same basis. Most banks and commercial lenders require a complete financial package consisting of several years financial reports and tax returns on the business and the principals.

You can find more information here: Multifunctional Copier Network

Ricoh Eco - Why It Matters

Copier Cabinets "The Flatpack Design"

I'd like to introduce Gary Lucas of Lucas Distribution to all of our readers and Print4Pay Hotel members. Lucas Distribution has signed on as a sponsor the Print4Pay Hotel Message Boards. I asked Gary to give us brief outline of his tenure in the office equuipment business and to tell us about his flatpack cabinets.

I spent 35 years with 3M / Harris-3M / Lanier / Ricoh – starting in the 3M Service Dept in 1972 as a facsimile technician (when 6 minute faxes were considered state-of-the-art!), spent many years in the Harris-3M & Lanier Product Sourcing group and finished up in the Product Marketing Dept in Atlanta, GA.

After retiring in 2007, I started Lucas Distribution, LLC, based in Atlanta, GA, as the exclusive distributor of Kentinental flat pack cabinets for the Ricoh family of products. These patented cabinets are custom-designed for Ricoh family MFPs. My manufacturer, Kentinental Engineering, has been an approved OEM provider to Ricoh Europe and to Lanier. This product line had been sold exclusively through the Lanier channel until 2007, when Kentinental authorized my company to open the products up to all Ricoh family distributors.

In 2008 I brought out a line of Canon cabinets using the proven flat pack design.

Here are some of the reasons customers like to use my flat pack cabinets:
• Can be assembled in less than 1 minute
• Flat pack design allows for lower storage and shipping costs - the 19" FAC16 cabinet ships in a carton 7.5" high!
• Prevents back strain that can occur when removing fully assembled cabinets from the carton
• Less susceptibility to shipping damage - if a cabinet is ever damaged, you can replace the damaged part without having to discard the entire cabinet
• 100% guarantee against shipping damage - if you unpack a cabinet and it has damage, replacement parts will be provided at no cost, regardless of who or what caused the damage
• 2% 10 Net 30 payment terms - products are stocked in Atlanta, GA
• As a small business owner, customer service is very important to me. I want to make it easy to do business with Lucas Distribution!