Kathy Gibson reports – Print is enjoying a comeback in South African organisations – and, as sustainability becomes a bigger issue, they are leaning towards inkjet technology.
These are among the results from a recent Epson survey, which found that 43% of South African companies see print and print technology as becoming more important.
Presenting the results, Timothy Thomas, country manager: South Africa of Epson, says 82% of respondents say inkjet printers are easier to maintain; and 62% say inkjet printers produce a better quality of print. A further 69% say inkjet printers are easier to run.
In the print market, manufacturers recognise that IT decision-makers have an ecology requirement and most agree inkjet is more environmentally friendly than laser.
The vendor’s sustainability programme is a major factor in choosing a print service provider, according to 60% of managed print services customers. In line with this, 78% of respondents believe that inkjet printers or multi-function devices are more environmentally friendly than laser.
When it comes to their own sustainability, 80% of respondents say the management and control of their printer fleet is a specific part of their environmental sustainability strategy, and they monitor the energy consumption of their printer fleets across the year.
As part of this, 76% want to better understand the energy consumption savings that could be made by changing the way the printer fleet is managed, while 64% know what proportion of their total energy bill their printer fleets account for.
The research was commissioned by Epson and conducted by Coleman Parkes
“Sometimes easy as OEMs to talk about sustainability, to trot out statements and showcase awards,” says Thomas. “But at Epson, our philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation to enrich lives and create a better world is something we believe in.”
Thomas points out that companies need to make a concerted effort to combat climate change.
Epson has committed to adopting 100% renewable energy by the end of 2023, it will reduced total emissions in line with the 1,5-degree scenario, and will become carbon negative and underground resource-free by 2050.