Selling Copiers "Competing Against the Sharp MX-X401 color MFP"

Wow, a 40 pager per minute color device from Sharp! The Sharp MX-401 color is one of the new A3 device that will copy, print and scan up to legal size. Keep in mind that this system will not scan, copy, fax or print 11x17.

I've already seen the Sharp DX-C401 on the internet for under $4,000! So, how the heck can you sell against this beast?

Here's a few tips for you:

maximum paper size of 8.5”x14”, so can not handle 11”x17” tabloid paper
Control panel does not pivot, swivel or tilt
Bypass can not feed 10 point postcard stock

Now if you want the really juicy stuff we found you'll have to become a member of the Print4Pay Hotel and then you can acess the message boards for the rest of the tips. Click on the link and become a member while it's still FREE!!

-=Good Selling=-

This Week in Ricoh "TWIR"

Ricoh announced that for end users that choose a EFI Fiery print server to go with their new Ricoh PRO C700EX color MFP, a paired down version of EFI Fiery Command WorkStation can be viewed on the copier control panel

Ricoh announced it will now resell Cima’s DocuClass document management software. The software will also be able to be accessed via the Ricoh MFP control panel.

Ricoh announced that is factory direct branch in Ireland won a bid to provide 1,000 MFPs to locations of PostBank.

Ricoh now shipping the new b/w production models, the Pro 907EX, 1107EX and 1357EX featuring:
- 90, 110 & 135ppm
- Base MSRPs of $40,000, $51,000 & $62,000
- 360 second warmup time
- Handles up to 110lb. index only (can not run 10point stock)
- Comes standard with two 1000 sheet drawers, and two 500 sheet drawers
- 208v/20amp power needed
- Document feeder runs up to 80opm
- Weighs only 672lbs.
- First copy out time as fast as 3 seconds
- 320GB hard drive space
- Built-in print controller with 1.4GHz processor
- PCL print driver standard (PostScript is option)
- 10/100BaseT port (no 1000BaseT)
- 1200x1200dpi
- 512MB RAM standard (can upgrade to 1.5GB)
- Finishing options include 100 sheet stapling, book-making, hole-punching, perfect binding & ring binding

-=Good Selling=-

Laser Printers & Total Cost of Operation

While at home today, trying to recoup from a bad cold, I ran across this document on the internet thats shows the total cost of consumables for many different printers. This document is from a reliable source and in my eyes would be accurate, as always if something seems to go to be true, it usually is. So, make you sure you double check what you are reading.

I'm posting this on the Print4Pay Hotel Message Boards for downloading, if you are not a member please click Print4Pay Hotel and register for the brand of MPS's that you sell.

-=Good Selling=-

MFP Weekend Industry Notes 7/26/09

Special thanx to Print4Pay Hotel members for this!

Details on Canon’s own leasing division, Canon Financial Services:
- Run by Richard Palmieri – President
- Funded by Canon
- Has enough reserves to support leasing services for a minimum of 5 years
- The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (www.elfaonlinelorg) recently reported that in last 6 months, banks have only approved 65% of copier leases
- Canon has approved 90% of copier leases submitted by its branches and dealers
- Can customize the lease to cover ancillary charges associated with an equipment lease
- Due to tight credit market, has received more leases from its dealers than ever before
- Primary objective is to move as much Canon hardware as possible

Canon is objecting in court to the proposed sale of assets of Ritz Camera, which has a large debt to Canon. Canon claims that the proposed sale to RCI, is actually a disguised transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars to an entity controlled by Ritz’s former CEO.

Details on Oce’s in-house leasing division:
- named Oce’ Financial Services
- partially backed by Oce’
- run by Marc Gingold – President
- 2/3’s or 25,000 of Oce’ equipment owners use Oce’ in-house leases
- Calls its cpc lease the “Term Rental”
- Covers complementary products such as off-line finishing or paper handling equipment

Details on Toshiba’s in-house leasing division:
- leases are actually held by US Bank, GE Capital or De Lage Landen
- run by Bill Melo, VP of Marketing

Toshiba’s past was the topic of discussion during a copier bid review in the Town of Randall, Wisconsin. Town supervisor, Robert Gehring, reminded the other supervisors that in 1987, Toshiba was accused of illegally selling technology to the Russans to improve the stealth capabilities of the USSR’s nuclear submarines, thus putting the USA at risk during the cold war. This lead to the arrest and prosecution of two top executives, and was the basis for a best selling novel and movie from Tom Clancy called; “Hunt for Red October”. Mr. Gehring therefore refuses to back any bid award for Toshiba products.

Print Audit, maker of managed print services software, announced a new feature where it will report on meters from machines in the field, even if they are not part of a managed print services program.

Hewlett Packard announced it has placed an Indigo 7000 production color system at R&R Images of Scottsdale, AZ. The print shop also installed HP SmartStream Producton Pro IN200 print server, SmartStream Director & DirectSmile for a complete web to print system with variable data. The shop claims that they can not handle a $3 order and still make a profit.

Xerox reported its last quarter’s financials:
- profit tumbled down 35%
- earnings of $140 million as compared with $215 million one year ago
- revenue fell 18% to $3.73 billion from $4.53 billion
- Xerox’s CEO, Ursula Burns, stated; “we expect revenue will remain under pressure during the balance of the year
- Goldman Sachs reports that global technology spending will drop another 8% this year
- Equipment sales dropped 29% to $828 million
- Service/supply revenue dropped 14%
- gross margin of 40.2%
- color pages up 12%, b/w pages down 5%


History of inkjet printing:
- In 1867, Lord Kelvin described a process for using electrostatic electricity to control the release of droplets of ink with a pressure pump
- In 1878, Lord Rayleigh discovered how to make droplets of ink from a nozzle that were uniform in size
- In 1946, the Radio Corporation of America patented drop on demand piezo crystal electric device but never produced a product, as they were inventing the television at the same time. Piezo crystals create an acoustic wave as it vibrates through the nozzle and causes stream of ink to break into droplets at regular intervals
- In 1961, Richard Sweet, a Stanford electrical engineer, received a patent which led to the A. B. Dick Videograph 9600 in 1969 to print barcodes on cans.
- In 1962 was invented by C.R. Winston as the Teletype Inktronic
- In 1968, Dr. Cumming and Richard Sweet received patent to generate characters with inkjet
- In 1973, Mead Paper launched the Dijit inkjet printer
- In 1977, the first piezoelectric inkjet printer, the PT-80, was launched by Siemens of Germany
- In 1977, Canon researcher, Ichiro Endo, accidentally dropped a hot soldering iron onto a syringe full of ink, which caused the ink to heat up and spray out of syringe. This led to invention of bubblejet thermal inkjet technology.
- In 1978, Hewlett Packard’s John Vaught , convinced company to use Canon’s bubblejet technology.
- In 1984, Mead Paper sold Dijit technology to Kodak, which became the Diconix
- In 1985, Canon launches first commercial bubblejet product, the BJ-80.
- In 1993, Kodak sold Diconix to Scitex
- In 1993, Epson launches its first piezoelectric inkjet printer, the Stylus 800

Kodak announced it has placed a NexPress M700 (relabeled Canon imagePRESS C7000VP) to Classic Printers of Houston, TX.

Kodak announced that its MarketMover program now supports Kodak InSite web-to-print system. MarketMover is a program to educate printshops how to market digital output.

IBM is being sued for allegedly failing to pay its workers overtime for pre-shift duties at its large Atlanta call center.

eCopy has renamed its award winning desktop application; “eCopy Desktop” to “eCopy PaperWorks”. It is also offering end users a free trial version via download from its website.

The annual trade show in England for production print, “Total Print! Expo”, was postponed indefinitely due to slow economy.

Des Plaines Office Equipment, a copier dealer in Chicago, announced it will now also market phone systems from Access One.

Workers at the Meridian plant in Canada reached an agreement with Xerox to allow the company to remove its toner making equipment from the shut down plant.

XPEDX, a division of International Paper, announced it has acquired Gould Paper Corp. of Vancouver, Canada.

NEC of Japan announced it is seeking to raise $2.1 billion in capital for growth. During the past fiscal year it reported a loss of $3 billion.

Another company which owns obscure patents is collecting money from manufacturers in the printing industry through the courts. Whetstone Electronics, owns two patents that involve the interface between a computer and print engine. The first company to settle out of court with Whetstone is Agfa of Germany for an undisclosed sum.

Xante’ claims great success with its Ilumina Digital Envelope Press+, which uses an Okidata LED color engine to print on #10 envelopes at 60 per minute. The company claims to have sold 30 of the systems recently to businesses in south Florida.

Lexmark stock shares fell 20% when the company reported its last quarter’s financials:
- 80% drop in earnings.
- Net income fell to $17 million from $83.7 million
- Revenue fell 21% to $904.6 million from $1.14 billion

-=Good Selling=-

Copier Sales Proposals "Pricing on the Street"

Just wanted to give you all a heads up. I've uploaded new "Pricing on the Street" with aggressive cpc pricing. Street Pricing from Canon & Xerox.

Special thanks to the Print4Pay Hotel members that sent them to me for uploading.


If you're selling MFP's, or still calling them copiers, the Print4Pay Hotel currently has 6 active message boards for Ricoh Family Group, Sharp, KonicaMinolta, Kyocera , Canon and Xerox P4P In the early spring of 2010, we will launch Toshiba and OCE P4P Message Boards!

With over 2,300 members the Print4Pay Hotel averages 80,000 page views a month, 2,500 views a day and over 210,000 hits a month. Our message boards have over 65,000 threads related to copiers/MFP's, Solutions and Solutions Sales, we are the Global Resource on the Web for Copier Sales Professionals, Copier Sales Managers, and Dealer Owners and Principals!

These quotes were recently uploaded:

Xerox 700 Digital Color Press w/Creo/LCT/Finisher
Xerox 4112 production b/w system
Canon iR C3080i
Canon iR C3480i

You must be a member to view the pricing or the bids! Start by following the link below.

http://www.p4photel.org/

RICOH LAUNCHES PRO 907EX/PRO 1107EX/PRO 1357EX DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEMS

RICOH LAUNCHES PRO 907EX/PRO 1107EX/PRO 1357EX DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEMS

Series Upgrade Features Enhanced Speed, Productivity and Finishing

West Caldwell, NJ, July 21, 2009 — Ricoh Americas Corporation, the leading provider in digital office equipment, today launched the Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX and Pro 1357EX Digital Imaging Systems. These systems feature enhancements to the current Ricoh Pro 906EX/Pro 1106EX and Pro 1356EX series, which launched in May 2008, including advanced performance and improved finishing features. An extension of Ricoh’s commitment to production printing, the series is designed to better meet the present needs of the demanding marketplace.

Built upon proven technology, the series exhibits high productivity, versatile finishing, and increased durability. The Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX/Pro 1357EX leads the market in print speed with 135 pages-per-minute (ppm), and offers faster performance due to its enhanced memory architecture, which includes a standard 512 MB RAM (upgradeable to 1.5 GB) and a 320 GM Hard Disk Drive. The series also provides its users expanded in-house capabilities, therefore limiting the need for outsourcing. By handling a wider variety of media sizes and stocks, as well as high-volume runs of large, multi-page documents the need to pause and re-load trays is greatly minimized.

Flexible finishing options give customers more variety of professionally-finished documents, without losing valuable production time. The Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX/Pro 1357EX can create perfect-bound books up to 400 pages (duplex) using its in-line Perfect Binder, and Ricoh’s Ring Binder Unit can produce ready-to-distribute ring-bound booklets that are seamlessly punched and bound completely on-line. These features significantly reduce labor costs when printing bound books, passing on additional savings to customers.

Customers can expect reliable, un-interrupted operation in both the long-term, as well as during peak production. The Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX/Pro 1357EX identifies and corrects multiple-sheet feeding, with an innovative ultrasonic sensor that improves detection accuracy. The sensor ensures maximum uptime for high-volume copying, printing and scanning, and uses precise airflow to ensure fast, error-free media handling. The series is also equipped with enhanced Trained Customer Replaceable Units (TCRU’s) which minimize downtime and don’t require a service call.

“The production printing market is constantly changing and Ricoh strives to offer products and solutions that meet these demands and the needs of our customers,” said Carl Joachim, vice president of Marketing, PPBG, Ricoh Americas Corporation. “By bringing this upgraded series to market, we’re offering our customers the precision, speed and flexibility they need to succeed in an ever-increasing competitive landscape.”

The Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX/Pro 1357EX systems are designed for simple operation by eliminating errors and performing administrative tasks remotely. Users can preview and approve thumbnails of scanned documents before final output or distribution via Scan-to-Email or Scan-to-Folder. With Web Image Monitor, a utility that allows users to check supply levels, change print queues and adjust settings, administrative tasks can be performed remotely, allowing for increased multitasking and decreased time spent at the system. The systems also feature the Super VGA Color Touch Panel Display, which provides convenient viewing of copy/scan options.

Note from Art:

I'm a Ricoh kinda guy, so hence the post on the latest and greatest high volume systems from Ricoh! I'm really looking forward to placing some of these units in P4P enviroments. The perfect Binder and the Ring Binder additions will be well accepted in the P4P market!

Get the rest of the press release here

Samsung "Where's The Beef in the New 6545N?"

Alright, I received the press release on the new "Sammy" Multixpress 6545N. Forty-Five page per minute A4 device, looks identical to the "Sammy" 6345N (also a 45ppm A4 device). So I asked, "Where's the Beef?", why does the 6545N have an MSRP that is $2,000 higher than the 6345N?

A few differences that I found:

6545N has a 100 page Document Feeder compared to the 6345N, the 6545N sports Open Architecture software via XOA while the 6345N has no open architecture. The cost per page is lower on the "Sammy" 6545N, the MSRP for the toner is $99.00 with a yield of 25,000 pages compared to the 6345N that has a cost of $125. Plus the drum on the 6545N is rated at 80K and the 6345N is rated at 60K. Samsung put a new color display on the 6545N, and added some additional options such as a 2 bin sorter and a 4 bin mailbox. That's about all I found going through the specs. Otherwise these systems seems almost identical.

"Where's The Beef?" Are you telling me customers are going to anti up an additional $2,000 for finishing options that are not included? Are customers going to pay $2,000for a color display? Will they lay out an additional $2,000 for Open Architecture.

Now there was something in the press release that caught my attention.

"All copiers are available through Samsung’s BTA Distribution and Dealer channels, which can be located by calling 1-800-SAMSUNG or by visiting www.samsung.com. Samsung Power Partners receive special promotions, lead referrals, training and technical support, as well as collateral and marketing materials. To find out more about becoming a Samsung Power Partner, visit www.samsungpartner.com."

BTA & Dealer Channels, ok tells me they are looking for Dealers and they may have configured this unit especially for the dealer community. That's a good thing, dealers need a higher MSRP and need to maintain margins while still being able to upgrade existing systems on leases. However, if this is the case, Samsung needs to discontinue the Samsung 6345N which has a list of $2,995 (you can find this box on the web for as low as $1,645).

Don't know about you, but I'd have a hard time laying out an additional two grand for this box.

-=Good Selling=-

TWIR "This Week in Ricoh"

IKON’s warehouse in Orange County, Florida, had its roof ripped off and trailers upended during a severe storm last week. 16,792 copiers were exposed to rain.

"Hope they had insurance, and were these lease returns?, OMG what a mess that would be"

IKON, a division of Ricoh, announced that it will now resell Fasoo Solutions.
- IKON VP of Solutions, Dan Nero, made the announcement
- Fasoo based in South Korea
- Provides digital rights management (DRM)
- Uses encryption technology to secure customer’s information

"The first thing I thought of when I read this was Gazoo from the Flintstones, he was the space man with the rather large helmet and the antenna on the top. Mr. Customer we'd like to introduce you to FASOO, kinda has a ring to it eh!


Ricoh launched a new program called “The Total Green Office Solution” claiming it will reduce efficiencies for customers.

Details:
- replace current equipment with “Green” equipment from Ricoh that have low emissions
- improve energy efficiency, as new Ricoh MFPs use less energy that old models
- fleet consolidation
- Ricoh’s polymerized toner (called PxP) uses less heat to fuse
- Toner collection and recycling program

"Ya, ya and ya, oh bother another Green Solution and another promise of we'll reduce your carbon footprint, give me a break!"

Ricoh announced new details of its Technoforce network services program:
- Block of Time ($105 per hour)
- Annual Bronze 40 contract with 10 hours per quarter of on-demand remote helpdesk
or field technician for $3800
- Annual Silver 80 contract with 20 hours per quarter remote or field technician for $7200
- Annual Gold 160 contract with 40 hours per quarter remote or field technician for $13,600

Ricoh announced it has made another dealer acquisition.

Details:
- Purchased Automated Business Products, a Savin dealer
- Based in Salt Lake City, UT
- Owners were Lee Christensen and Mike Archer, who will stay in charge of the new wholly owned subsidiary and will take over the current Ricoh branch in SLC.- This current ABP was founded in 1999 and has 63 employees- The original ABP was founded by the Archer family and had locations in Utah, Colorado and others, before selling out to IKON.

"Another Ricoh Direct Branch coming to a town near you, now you can benefit buy getting Ricoh equipment for next to nothing"

-=Good Selling=-

Managed Print "Oki States 70% of Companies Will.."

"Your Print Business is Quickly Disappearing" is an announcement I received from Okidata.

More than 70 percent of businesses are projected to be under an MPS contract by 2012


That being the case, consider these facts:

FACT: IT Spending is down by 3 - 18% through 2011
FACT: Print Hardware Sales are down by 30%+
FACT: Managed Print Services (MPS) is growing by 27%, annually
FACT: Many of your competitors are growing their profit by 97%

This was an announcement I picked up from Oki today. In three years 70% of all companies will be under and MPS agreement? Geez, where is that number coming from, I do agree that most large firms need to move to MPS, it's just a question if the move will be to less expensive Multifunctional Systems from the like of Ricoh, Canon, Xerox and KonicaMinolta or just a wholesale replacement of all the printers once the MPS contract has been signed.

I'm keeping an eye on it.

-=Good Selling=-

MFP Weekend Indsutry Notes 7/19/09

Special Thanx to Print4Pay Hotel members for thier contributions.

Konica Minolta’s Graphic Imaging Division announced it will market PuzzleFlow solutions for the newspaper industry. PuzzleFlow software products manage newspaper prepress workflows.

PostNet, which has 400 franchise mailing locations in the U.S., and 450 more worldwide, announced it will launch a new digital printing services program to its members. The new service will allow stores to receive print jobs electronically over the Internet.

Gartner released prediction of print technologies:
- by 2012, over 75% of all printed bills and statements in the U.S. will have advertisements for products and services, generating more than $2.8 billion in ad revenue for billers
- by 2012, over 30% of enterprise customers with document intensive business processes will use applications or custom workflows deployed on MFPs to lower paper process costs
and improve worker productivity
- by 2012, over 70% of businesses with more than 250 employees will adopt a
managed print services program
- by 2012, over 80% of enterprise businesses will be using fax servers

Hewlett Packard relaunched its managed print services program. Details:
- Run by Bruce Dalhgren (former executive of Lexmark)
- Includes savings guarantee called “Printing Payback Guarantee”
- After HP conducts its on-site assessment, and delivers proposal, it guarantees the savings it predicts.
- If the end user fails to realize the savings that HP promises after 12 months, HP provides the difference as a credit for the second year of the contract
- Guarantee is only offered if customer agrees to PAY for an official assessment upfront
- Customer must sign up for a minimum 3 year contract for guarantee to be valid
- Trade-in credit up to $1000 when upgrading to new HP LaserJet
- maximum of 400 units can be traded in
- HP hired celebrity Ben Stein to launch the program during a live webcast.
- HP claims it can save companies anywhere from 20%-30%
- HP states that one of its largest MPS customers is Intel Corp.
- covers 1800 printers
- 11% of printing is in color, and accounts for 50% of costs
- Another large MPS referral HP is claiming is STMicroelectronics

- Hewlett Packard announced it has hired Larry Irving as VP of Global Government Affairs.
- Previously, he was a White House technology advisor. He will work in D.C. and lobby the
federal government on HP’s behalf for its share of stimulus money projects

Toshiba announced a partnership with Close the Loop, Inc. This company is a global recycler of toner cartridges and was founded in 2000 in Australia by Steve Morriss. The company turns the recycled toner into a composite which is used to make fences, garden edging, outdoor furniture and other applications. The company’s plant in the U.S. is located in Hebron, Kentucky.

Nuance Communications Inc. is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice over its $96 million buyout of a speech recognition division of Royal Philips Electronics in 2008.

Xerox announced that one of its scientists received his 100th patent. Marcel Breton received the patent for development of a new type of ink that could be used in future color inkjet printers

The Department of Applied Chemistry of Keio University in Japan, and the McMaster University of California have developed an inkjet printer that prints out a sheet of paper that can be used to test for toxins by dipping paper in the suspect liquid, and watching for color change.

Kodak announced it sold its first Prosper high speed color inkjet system to Data Forms, a print for pay in Hong Kong.

Lyra Research announced results of poll taken with business owners answering the question; “Have Environmental Considerations and Policies Had An Effect on U.S. Print Volumes?”:
- just under 40% said that it DID have an effect
- Over 40% said it did NOT have an effect
- Around 10% were not sure

Rochester Software Associates announced a new feature for its popular WebCRD product. This software provides an on-line kiosk for print job submission and management. The new feature is “Document Preview”, which not only shows a view of the pages, but now shows usage of tabs, colored paper, and finishing. Customers can turn pages with an animated flip just like a real book.

IBM won a contract from the Mobile (Alabama) County Public School System to provide technology to measure student performance, and adjust academic programs in real time to prepare students for 21st century skills. The contract payment will come out of a $26 million fund which was part of the recent federal stimulus package.

In a test to promote its new high speed color inkjet press, the JetStream 2200, Oce’ printed thousands of personalized versions of the The Washington Times newspaper. The newspapers featured content, ads and articles tailored to the interests of its targeted subscribers.

IRIS of Belgium, maker of an optical character recognition (OCR) engine, sold a major stake in the company to Canon for 22 million euros. Company started in 1987 by Pierre De Muelenaere and Jean Dider Legat.

The Monterey County police are reporting an upsurge in the usage of counterfeit currency apparently made on a color copier. Unknown who is making this fake money.

Graham, Texas police arrested Randall Hammond, 29 and Jamiece Smith, 36, after they were caught making fake currency using a color copier.

Riso announced it opened a new factory direct branch in Boston to increase its marketshare.

Brother, maker of low end color inkjet and laser printers and MFPs, was originally founded as Yasui Sewing Machine Co. by Kaneschi Yasui.

Epson, maker of color inkjet printers and MFPs, was originally founded in 1941 as Daiwa Kogyo Ltd.

Hitachi was originally named Namihei Odaira, and started in 1910.

Kodak settles a race bias class action lawsuit for $21.4 million that was filed by former employees.

DSS Co. Ltd. of Japan introduced new technology to increase productivity of workers. The company charges $10,000 for a two day study that includes the installation of tiny digital cameras on workers clothing and bracelets on their ankles. This tracks and measures their movements to find unproductive behavior. During testing, it found the most popular places of gathering were the coffee machine and copier.

Tomomi Sayuda announced the invention of the iBum, which is a photocopier built into the seat of a chair.

IDC announced latest data on computer sales during the last quarter:
- Dell Computer = 4,174,000, down 18.9%
- Hewlett Packard = 4,134,000 up 2.3%
- Acer = 2,009,000 up 51%
- Toshiba = 1,225,000 up 33.9%
- Apple = 1,213,000 down 12.4%

ABBYY Corp., maker of the FineReader optical character recognition engine, announced it is now offering a version that can be embedded into an MFP, according to Andrey Isaev of Russia, director of technology.

Lexmark launched a new series of color inkjet all-in-ones that can access the Internet from its touch screen color LCD control panel. Pricing starts at $199.00.

EFI, maker of Fiery controllers, announced it won a lawsuit against Leggett & Platt, which had sued EFI over alleged infringement on one of its patents in EFI’s VUTek wide format color inkjet printer.

-=Good Selling=-

The Moon Landing "Forty Years Before and Forty Years Later"

Forty years ago, I was 12 years old and perched in front of our TV and for the life of me I can't remember if we had a color set or black & white. There was me, my twin brother , my mother, my father and our 180lb Great Dane. I watched the first man step foot on the moon, and I dreamed that maybe one day, I could venture into space and become a traveler of the stars.

Sometimes I look at dates and try to take perspectives as to where we were and were are. Starting at 1969 and looking back 40 years, there was the Wall Street Crash, the German airship the Graf Zeppelin flew around the world in 21 days while Jews and Arabs were killing each other in Palestine.

Today we find ourselves in financial uncertainty similar but not as dire as the Great Depression. We can now travel to to moon in 3 days or less and the Jews and Arabs are stilling killing each other.

What will be the future in 2049?

Xerox "unveils breakthrough color technology" Poll Results

It's been a little over two months since I posted the on-line user poll for the Xerox ColorQube Xerox "unveils breakthrough color technology". I'd like to personally thank everyone who voted. We had a record 478 votes! Our highest poll ever!

Here's the final breakdown:

Xerox "unveils breakthrough color technology"

Poll Questions:

1) Wow, this will turn the color market up side down! 175 votes 37%

2) A lot of hype about nothing, not a big deal! 208 votes 44%

3) I'm gonna have to see how this pans out! 95 votes 20%

Summary:

On June 22nd, I posted a poll update that showed 71% voted for that the ColorQube was alot of hype and they would have to see how this pans out, the final numbers are 66% of those who voted believe that it's not a big deal and they are going to have see how this technology pans out. On the other hand 57% percent voted for this will turn the market upside down and they are going to have to see how this pans out.

Take it for what it's worth, there was a lot of hype on the web when the Xerox released the ColorQube. Mostly everyone took the hype and ran with it touting the ColorQube to be the best system every for office. A few of us took the time to research the product and question the product and the prints. Will the ColorQube go the way of HP's Edgeline, New Coke of the Fords Edsel? We'll have to wait and see.

-=Good Selling=-

MFP Solutions Blog and Death of the Copier ---Coast2Coast

Greg posted this over at Death of the Copier, and I thought it's time I got his mug shot out there for all to see!

A little self promotion - article written by Scott Cullen and published over at BERTL.

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS

By Scott Cullen

The truth is out there and it’s only a few clicks away on of the imaging industry’s cutting edge blogs.

Blogging is nothing new, but feet on the street sales reps in the imaging industry that blog are certainly something you don’t run into every day. Meet two of the most prolific and opinionated bloggers in the imaging industry-- Greg Walters and Art Post.

Walters works in the managed print services division of a West Coast IT integrator and HP value-added VAR. His “Death of the Copier” blog (http://thedeathofthecopier.blogspot.com/) is hip, happening, and sometimes irreverent, and a must read for anyone doing business in the imaging industry.

Post is a self-proclaimed “docusultant” with a Ricoh dealership in Highlands, New Jersey who, like Howard Cosell, tells it like it is. He started his blog, (www.mfpsolutions.blogspot.com) 15 months ago and the hits just keep on coming.

The inspiration for Walter’s blog, at least its eye-popping title, was the introduction of HP’s Edgeline technology, a technology that was going to be the death of traditional copier technology as we know it. Well, we all know what happened there.

“The Death of the Copier was because we had the Edgeline engine and it was going to take over the copier world,” recalls Walters. “That’s how it started and very quickly evolved into content and information about managed print services, the print industry in general, copiers, printers, and all that stuff.”

It’s all that stuff that makes Walter’s blog a fascinating read. He knows what he’s talking about having been in the imaging industry 20+ years, including a stint at IKON. He’s no shill for any manufacturer, including HP. Honesty is Walter’s best quality and his blog does indeed make for scintillating reading even when he’s sharing stories from other sources.

Walters’ blog gets 14,000 views a month, which is pretty darn good considering the topic. Are there really that many people who want to read about the imaging industry each month? Guess so. He has no idea why so many hits, but isn’t wasting time figuring it out. When he’s not integrating and providing added value to customers in his day job, he’s blogging, and he’s making appearances at industry conferences and events. From the looks of it, Walters’ 15 minutes of fame is just beginning.

The Death of the Copier blog focuses primarily on print management, but Walters reports that his most popular topics encompass anything to do with copier manufacturers. Indeed, hits pile up whenever he mentions the likes of Konica Minolta, Xerox, and HP.

“If you want to get any views, just write about anything that’s going on in the industry and drop the names,” he says.

Leasing, anything to do with financing, and copier crime are other hot topics as is managed print services.

“Anytime I have a headline that has to do with managed print services, it gets a lot more attention than it did before,” says Walters. “That’s the new hot button.”

Similarly, Post’s greatest hits include anything that mentions Ricoh, IKON, Canon or HP.
For instance, one post had 565 visitors in one day and 901 page views. The big topic was Ricoh being Ricoh.

Some of Walter’s and Post’s best readers are related to the major OEM’s both in the U.S. and in Japan. Walters estimates that about one third of his readers are upper management, one third support, and one third sales even though he says that independent dealers are a bit more difficult to track on the blog.

For Walters the best thing about writing a blog is the people he meets. Although he acknowledges it’s not always easy coming up with something to write about, he keeps plugging away. And the blog continues to evolve. He’s now on Twitter and is presenting podcasts.

Post’s blog gives him an opportunity to let off steam. It makes sense since he’s a salesman plying his trade in a high-pressure industry.

“After a tough day at work it gives me a medium where I can vent when I want to vent, but my ultimate goal is to get more members on my message boards,” says Post who is the online proprietor of the Print for Pay Hotels with various message boards devoted to key imaging industry manufactures such as the Ricoh Family Group, Canon, Konica Minolta, and Xerox.

Post has been selling copiers for more than two decades, which enables him to provide readers with a grittier perspective than those typically wielded by your average dealer principle or imaging industry consultant.

“I’m the guy on the street,” boasts Post.

Post’s blogs aren’t always focused on a specific manufacturer or product, and many of the issues and concerns he writes about are those affecting sales reps/docusultants like himself--pricing, prospecting, and other issues related to sales and service reps are common blog topics.

Post’s blog is surprisingly well written and includes news updates, and his commentary. He’s also on Twitter, so those looking to keep up with what Art’s doing even if it isn’t exactly related to the imaging world, can stay informed. Good to know that he just picked up his Swine Flu masks.

What makes Post’s blogs stand out is that he’s especially clever in his presentation and has found creative ways to present information about various solutions such as eCopy and PrintAudit and how the average office worker can save time and be more productive by using this software, using a character called Eric the Office Worker, modeled after the infamous Joe the Plumber. One area Post stays away from is print management. He leaves that topic to Walters.

Post admits he’s a loose canon and will write about whatever he wants when the mood strikes. If a product stinks, Post isn’t shy about posting his opinion, so damn the manufacturer trying to foist a feeble product on their dealer channel.

Anyone who evaluates products, covers the industry, and dares to venture an honest opinion, is bound to offend someone on the manufacturer side of the business sooner or later.

“I’m not concerned with offending anybody,” says Post. “I have a disclaimer on my Website that it’s only for educational purposes.”

When wrong, he’ll correct himself, but more often than not, Post is spot on.

The imaging industry is changing as is the way information is presented. With bloggers like Post and Walters, it’s refreshing to find two industry veterans willing to cut through the hype and tell it like it is.

-=Good Selling=-

Three Bloggers Gone Fishing!!!

Greg, Jim and me off for a day fishin!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Japanese Printer Companies in WWII "Fire Balloon"

Brother during World War II was know as Nippon Sewing Machine Manufacturing Company in 1934. Prior to 1934 they were known as Yasui Sewing Machine Co, and was founded by Kaneschi Yasui. When the started in 1941 Nippon Sewing Machine Manufacturing Company aka Brother Sales Ltd had to switch from manufacturing commerical sewing machines to indsutrial sewing machines. Not much information was available if Brother produced any additional products for the war effort. However, it was noted that many of their factories received extensive war damage.

Epson started in 1941 as Daiwa Kogyo LTD and was located in Suwa, Nagano, Japan. Not much information was available for Daiwa Kogyo during the war effort, however Daiwa Kogyo was part of the Sieko conglomerate. Sieko like many other Japanese companies were ordered to produce military items sucn as time fuses and ammunition.

Now, here's something I never knew in doing some research on timing fuses.

"From late 1944 until early 1945, the Japanese launched over 9,000 of these fire balloons, of which 300 were found or observed in the U.S. Some guesswork gives the total number that made the trip at about 1,000. Despite the high hopes of their designers, the balloons were relatively ineffective as weapons, causing only six deaths and a small amount of damage, and they survive in memory mostly as an ingenious and dangerous curiosity."

Geez, I wonder if this can still happen today, could these ballons go undetected?? Want to read more about the Fire Balloon!

Hitachi started in 1910 by Namihei Odaira, they specialized in manufacturing small 5 horsepower electric motors. In 1920 the name was chamged to Hitachi, LTD.

"The rise of the Japanese military government in the 1930s forced some changes at Hitachi. Although Odaira struggled to maintain corporate independence, his company was nonetheless pressured into manufacturing war material, including radar and sonar equipment for the Imperial Navy. Odaira, however, was successful in preventing Hitachi from manufacturing actual weapons.

World War II and its aftermath devastated the company. Many of its factories were destroyed by Allied bombing raids, and after the war, American occupational forces tried to disband Hitachi altogether. Founder Odaira was removed from the company."

-=Good Selling=-

TWIR "This Week in Ricoh"

IKON/Ricoh launched its own version of managed print services program, calling it “Ricoh Managed Document Services Program”. Details:
- Led by Dan Waldinger, Director of Strategic Marketing for Ricoh
- combines IKON’s professional services, sales, service & facilities management
- provides on-site and off-site management of fleets
- uses tagline; “MPS and Beyond”
- uses “DOCutivity” assessment program (originally developed by Lanier, which was acquired by Ricoh)
- total of 23 different modules are part of the program
- based on Prosci’s popular ADKAR change management model
- ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability & Reinforcement

Ricoh launched its new Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) technology for its MFPs equipped with Embedded Software Architecture (ESA). The SOA portal will enable enterprise customers to leverage IBM’s WebSphere software. This means that customers with Ricoh MFPs, can activate an IBM application from the MFP control panel.

Ricoh now shipping an A3 floor-standing color laser printer, the Aficio SP C820/821 series offering:
- launched by Ricoh product manager, Ije Rodgers
- 4 tandem OPC drum design
- 50ppm top speed b/w or color for 821, 40ppm for 820 model
- 50 second warmup time
- 600x600dpi (4 bits per pixel) or 1200x1200dpi (2 bits per pixel)
- Comes standard with two 500 sheet paper drawers & 100 sheet bypass
- Can add either two more 550 sheet drawers, or a large capacity letter size paper deck
- Handles up to 140lb. index stock
- Auto duplex supports only up to 90lb. index
- supports printing up to 49” long banners
- Built-in print controller
- 1GHz processor for 821, 600MHz for 820
- 512MB RAM (can upgrade to 1GB)
- 80GB hard drive standard on 821, optional on 820
- PCL & PostScript print drivers
- Finishing options include; stapling, booklet-making & hole punching

Ricoh updated its competitive product to Hewlett Packard’s Web JetAdmin, called Ricoh SmartDeviceMonitor:
- Launched by Ricoh product manager, John Carlomano
- No charge network device management software
- Displays status of printers/MFPs
- Control access privileges
- Configure NIC cards
- Can support up to 1,000 devices
- Optional Accounting Report Package allows monitoring of all print/copy/scan/fax activity with detailed usage reports by user and usage costs for chargeback
- ($900 for 5 devices, up to $3150 for 50 devices)
- Auto discovery
- See paper and toner levels
- Obtain meter reads
- Pop-up error notifications for service calls, low paper, low toner

-=Good Selling=-

CANON TO LAUNCH NEW COPIER BRAND FOR 1ST TIME IN 9 YEARS

I picked this up today off google, has anyone else heard anything about this NEW line fom Canon?

TOKYO, Jul 14, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- Japan's Canon Inc. (TSE:7751) said Monday that it will release a new line of copiers for the first time in nine years, with the products to hit the market in stages starting in early September.

The company plans to introduce three series, 12 models in all, under the imageRunner Advance brand. The monthly production target for the entire line is 12,000 units. The copiers are to debut in Japan first before being sold globally.

One of the models, the C7065, can copy 60 color A4 pages per minute and will be priced at 3.3 million yen (US$35,534).

Canon designed this next-generation line of copiers to connect with personal computers and other information technology equipment in the office. The copiers can manage digital documents and handle faxes without the need for a separate server, so they are expected to help small and midsize businesses improve work efficiency and lower costs.

-=Good Selling=-

MFP Weekend Industry Notes 7/13/09

Special thanx to the Print4Pay Hotel members that provide this information!:

Consortium Holdings, a financial firm, has lured Craig Fielding, formerly a senior manager at Xerox, to become its new CEO.

In a book authored by Scott D. Anthony, called “The Silver Lining”, he states that in the 1950s, IBM turned down the chance to buy the copier patent portfolio from Xerox Corp. IBM hired a consultant named Arthur D. Little, who informed the company that even if it replaced 100% of the carbon paper market with the copy process, it still would not make enough money to justify the acquisition of the patents.

Another lawsuit over a copier lease. In Pennsylvania, Erie County was sued by its supplier, Details:
- In April, auditors claimed that the bid award was flawed because criteria for winning bidder was changed during process
- The review was requested after dealer sued county for $1.3 million and billed county for $1 million
- Auditors claimed that the dealer overcharged the county
- Also claimed that the county owed the dealer between $600,000 and $800,000
- Lawsuit was settled for $600,000 paid to dealer by county

One Managed Print Services software provider buys its competitor. FMAudit announced that it has acquired DocuAudit.

Apple Computer is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, over whether it was completely honest about the health condition of its CEO, Steve Jobs, who recently took a 5.5 month medical leave, and had a liver transplant.

IKON’s former CFO, Bob Woods, was named to the board of directors for Insight Enterprises, a large computer distributor in Arizona.

Oce’ announced it will hold a large production print show in Seattle in July. Guest speakers will be professors from local university.

Symcor, a print for pay in Toronto, Canada, announced it had purchased the Oce JetStream 1500 high speed color inkjet system for variable data applications.

Okidata announced it will reorganize its management team in the U.S.:
- Jim Hargadon is Advisor, Finance & Admin
- Mick Takahara is Advisor, Corporate Planning
- Kazutaka Onodera is Executive VP and CFO
- Stewart Krentzman is President and CEO
- Scott Becker is Executive VP of Sales & Marketing

Okidata announced it will buy a manufacturing plant in Takasaki, Japan from Renesas Technology, so it can increase its capacity to build LED color print engines. The company plans on doubling its sales by 2011. Purchase price unknown.
The Gartner Group released details on its study of document management systems:
- 75% of enterprises that establish an enterprise integrated document management plan will use a steering committee
- 65% of the startup costs will be spent on planning and development
- Enterprises that do not bring content under control, wasted work time will increase by 30% to 40%
- Office workers waste at least 10 hours per week managing documents
- Average document is copied 9 to 11 times at a cost of $18
- Documents cost about $20 to file
- Retrieving a misfiled document costs $120

Billback, LLC of Australia purchased nQueue, to create nQueue Billback, LLC. These two former competitors both make copier/print accounting systems, and will be led by CEO, Rick Hellers. The new company’s primary competitor is Equitrac.

Kofax, maker of scanning solutions, announced it won a $350,000 contract from EDCO Group, which is a business processing outsource provider of health document management services.

Canon launched a new A4 desktop color laser MFP, the imageCLASS MF8350 series, featuring top speed of 21ppm b/w or color, using 4 tandem OPC drum design. The engine most likely is same as that used in current Hewlett Packard CM2320 color lasers, as they are all made by Canon, and sell for as little as $599. The new imageCLASS MF8050 offers 8ppm color and 12ppm b/w.

Canon’s Satoshi Victi stated that thanks to the company’s investment in 3D modeling software in its research & development labs, it now only takes 3 months to design a new product.

According to Industry Analysts, the use of generic/non OEM parts and supplies by copier dealers is on the rise. This means that the usage of original parts and supplies made by the actual copier/printer manufacturers ii on the decline. The research group claims:
- over 60% of dealers use non OEM parts and supplies
- 13% of all supplies bought by dealers are non OEM
- Managed print service programs are driving the increase
- Kyocera is trying to stop this trend by telling its dealers that its 3 year warranty is void if they use non OEM parts and supplies
- Dealers may be spending as much as $600 million on non OEM supplies
- Many question the quality of the non OEM product. For example, one vendor, Katun, stated “Katun color toners were developed to meet business color end user expectations, where precise color matching is NOT a prerequisite”

Search engine giant, Google, announced its intention to launch its own operating system to compete against Microsoft, called “Chrome”. To retaliate, Microsoft stated it plans on launching its own search engine, called “Bing”.

Sharp announced it is now offering an embedded version of Print Audit software for its OSA equipped MFPs. Details:
- tracks print/copy/scan/fax
- rules feature that limits jobs based on user
- cost assignment by job and/or user

GreenPrint is shipping version 2.0 of its cost saving software. Details:
- Founded by Hayden Hamilton and James Kellerman in May, 2005
- Software prevents unwanted pages from being printed, such as; stray lines at end of web document, boilerplate at end of airplane ticket, blank PowerPoint slides, etc.
- Based in Portland, Oregon
- 168,000 end users have tried free version of software
- Only 25,000 end users are using it daily
- Version 2.0 is chargeable version for corporate users
- First sale was made to Asian company with 50,000 licensed users
- Next planned install is HSBC Bank
- Xerox is giving away the software for free with Phaser color wax printers
- Company now has 28 employees
- Version 2.0 cost is $70 per user

In Malaysia, police confiscated 25 kilograms of heroin found inside boxes of copier paper in an office supply truck attempting to load it onto an airplane.

"We The People"

This pretty much sums it up, and I'm in favor of a two day strike for all Americas to "wake up" the politicians.

Japanese Printer Companies in WWII "Part 1"

Before OKI data was known as OKI data, it was Oki Electric Works and before that Miekosha. Kibataro Oki founded the company in 1881. By 1890 Oki Electric Works had earned an excellent reputation as a communication equipment manufacturer that specialized in telephone receivers.

After December of 1941 civilian communications dropped off and Oki Electric Works devoted most of its efforts to the war effort. Oki Electric Works then relied on orders from the Japanese Imperial Navy and Army to produce field telephones, aeronautical radios, and hydrophones. In 1938 Oki Electric Works acquired a site in the Shiba Takahama section of Tokyo, here they were to build their Takahama plant. The plant was finished in 1941 and concentrated manufacturing wireless telegraph equipment, sonar, ammunition, and fuses for the Japanese Imperial Navy. In 1944 Oki was designated by the Munitions Company Act as a “munitions company”, which allowed the Military to take control of the factories and also allowed the government to intervene in personal matters.

March 10, 1945 saw 50 young students and women killed in a bombing raid, they had been held up in an air raid shelter in the Meijiza Theater. When World War II ended in 1945, Oki had 20 plants and nearly 23,000 employees even though its Shibaura, Maebashi and Otsuka Plants had been completed destroyed in an American bombing raids.

To read more http://www.oki.com/en/profile/history/120y.html

-=Good Selling=-

Old Copier Commercials! Bring Back the Memories!

I did a little crusing on you tube and found some old copier commericals, I posted a few here for you and I have posted many more in the Print4Pay Hotel Message Boards!

Enjoy!!!











-=Good Selling=-

MFP's, Copiers & Twitter "It's All Good"

Greg from Death of the Copier turned me on to Twitter a few months ago. After reading a tweet from Greg about copiers, I realized with Tweet Deck (a Twitter APP) I could set a search for copiers, and anyone who tweeted about copiers would be distributed to my inbox! Well, I have to tell you, the amount of tweets about copiers is overhelming and most of them are always peeved about their copier! Gee, I wonder why?

Here's few neat tweets that I've read:

Is it sales weasel day? I've had someone come by pushing IP phones, copiers, temp workers and cleaning services...

Hi, welcome to Copiers and Nipple-rings! Let's walk over here and we'll do a before and after copy...

most copiers take up smoking because of stress. Or ecause they see other copiers doing it in movies.

Me either! I can't figure it out. But i can unjam even the stubbornest of copiers, and that's the Lord's truth.

I just found out the copiers have a 2-hole punch option! I think I am in love!!!!

I Hate Copiers

Just set the two copiers up at camp in Malibu to each say "I'm with Stupid" on their screens with arrows pointing at each other. Awesome.

oh. my. god. i hate copiers. well, maybe it just hates me for needing 1500 copies

I am officially going steady with binders and copiers. I don't know, I think they are pretty in to me, we'll see if anything comes of this.

Two out of three copiers in our office are down. It's madness!

So, what type of people of such haters of copiers??

30,tall, married and awesome from Wisconsin

Artist and bird enthusiast Location: Corner Brook, NL

Founders and Lead Developer for 12seconds.tv Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Artist, Glorified File Clerk, Lover, Long Islander born and bred...
Location: East Northport, NY

Location: The Sticks, Pennsylvania

Web designer and photographer. Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA

So, if copiers have got you down, log onto twitter, you're not alone!!

-=Good Selling=-

Wide Format ROI Spreadsheet

For all you guys and gals out there sell Ricoh, Xerox, Oce, KIP, KonicaMinolta, Toshiba, GEI, Seiko or Kyocera wide formats (Funny most of these are KIPS). I've developed a wide format ROI spreadsheet for replacing inkjet plotters. All you have to do is the research on how many rolls of paper is being used per month, how many scans are outsourced, outsourced prints or copies, and the cost of the ink for the plotter.

In order to get the spreadsheet you need to register for one of the Print4Pay Message Boards. Once I approve the registration I will send your Wide Format ROI Spreadsheet!

Trust me it's easier to show the customer the savings based on thier usage, and the spreadsheet makes it a no brained as long as they have the volume on the inkjet printer!

-=Good Selling=-

Xerox Color Qube Samples!

Ok, ok, it's been a long week for me! Apologies for not posting more.

About two weeks ago I sent for samples from Xerox for the Xerox ColorQube, within a week I had my samples and I'd have to agree that they were ok, nothing that jumped off the page and the quality was not better than laser. I then took the ultimate test and left the documents on the dashboard of my car Jersey heat), and guess what??? The pages stuck together like tar and feathers. Hey, so much for wax technology.

In a few days after I received my samples I had an email from Xerox, the title of the email was Xerox Follow up and then PLEASE RESPOND. Well I have to admit this is the first time I've ever seen a picture of a Xerox rep in the email. The rep is a female and takes a great photo, one thing I can tell you is that I'll never have my photo's in my emails!! LOL
I've posted the email on the P4P Message Boards, so log in and you'll see what I'm blogging about!

-=Good Selling=-

MFP Weekend Industry Notes 7/5/09

Special thanx to the Print4Pay Hotel members for this!

Toshiba announced that it is working with a small town in Alaska to build a nuclear plant. Details:
- Will supposedly be built in town of Galena, population of 580
- Reactor design called “4S” for super-safe, small and simple
- Will produce 10 megawatts of electricity for 30 years without refueling
- Will be cooled by liquid sodium metal

Oce’ reported the results of last quarter financials:
- revenues declined by 4.1% to 676 million euros
- Digital Document Systems reported revenue decline of 7.4%
- Wide Format division revenue declined by 17.2%
- facilities management division revenue increased by 8%
- non-recurring revenue declined by 11.9%
- incurred 3.4 million euro in restructuring costs
- gross margin declined from 40.2% to 35.5%
- Rokus van Iperen, chairman, stated; “Normalized operating income over the second quarter of 2009 was disappointing due to even more challenging market conditions than in the first quarter.”
- color revenue up to 30% of total
- announced it will cut another 300 employees to boost profit
- will cut the working hours of 2,400 employees at its Venlo facility
- booked a loss of 14 million euros
- according to Reuters; “Oce’ said its search for a strategic partnership was going more
slowly than expected”
- factory in Poing, Germany was operating at half of its capacity
- production at its Venlo plant is down 20%

Oce’ announced that it has promoted John Reilly to President of its Document Printing Systems division. Prior to joining Oce’, John was in charge of marketing for Minolta Corp.

New data from a study conduced by IDC:
- 90% of companies do not track how much they spend on producing and maintaining
documents each year
- Companies spend as much as 10% of revenues on document production, management and distribution
- Paper output volumes are increasing by up to 21% per year
- Up to 50% of all company IT department help desk calls are printer related
- 161 billion gigabytes of information exist worldwide
- information will increase to 988 billion gigabytes in next 4 years
- unstructured data is growing at a rate of 65%
- employees spend up to 40% of their workday looking for content

The National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Assocation states reasons to move to electronic medical records:
- Up to 3% of annual healthcare spending ($68 billion in 2007) is lost due to fraud
- 5% to 15% of a hospital’s medical records are duplicated
- Cost to correct medical record from $20 to $100 per duplicate
- 50% to 90% of insurance claim denials could be prevented by securing accurate patient info
- One out of five claims submitted is delayed or denied
- 96% of insurance claims must by resubmitted at lease once
- 9 million adults in U.S. believe that they or a family member have lost confidential medical info
- The average password related help desk call costs $25
- As much as 40% of patient info is missing when need by medical professional

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review a court case that alleges Xerox illegally cut the benefits to some of its retirees.

Canon announced it will layoff 700 employees from a plant in Japan that makes stepper motors.

Synnex, a computer distributor that also offers a managed print services program for resellers named PrintSolv, reported that its second quarter earnings beat early estimates. It believes further growth will come from customers in the healthcare industry. Synnex is a large distributor for Hewlett Packard. Synnex’s last quarter revenue was $1.9 billion.

Hewlett Packard in conjunction with Dubai police, confiscated a large amount of fake toner cartridges in a 600 square meter, two story, warehouse in Dubai.

Hewlett Packard sold its Vancouver facility to SEH America for $55 million. Details:
- consists of 4 buildings, 694,000 square feet of space, on 174 acres of land
- was site of launch of HP’s first inkjet printer 30 years ago
- was also headquarters of the Edgeline development
- at one time, there were 3,500 HP employees at the site
- inkjet production now in Malaysia
- SEH makes semiconductors and silicon

The U.S. Government has blocked Sharp from importing some LCD TV’s that infringe on Samsung patents.

Kodak announced it will unveil the NexPress SE at the upcoming Print 09 show in Chicago in September. It will be running at 120ppm full color, and will have a built-in densitometer so it can calibrate itself.

Interesting facts about Samsung of Korea:
- founded in 1969
- $108 billion in annual revenue
- $18 billion in annual income
- Employs 150,000
- Spends $5.3 billion in research and development each year
- Has 27,000 researchers on staff
- Has 2,500 PhD’s on staff
- Holds 2,725 patents

Samsung announced that in Asia, it will relabel Toshiba made A3 color & b/w laser MFPs. For example, it will call the Toshiba eSTUDIO 451C the Samsung CLX-7455.

Nuance Communications Inc., maker of popular document management software, such as PaperPort, OmniPage OCR, etc., announced it will pay its CEO, Paul Ricci, a base salary of $525,000 and give him $900,000 in stock. More details:
- Mr. Ricci joined Nuance in 1999, and previously worked for Xerox
- Company based in Burlington, Mass.
- Had $7.1 million in profit last quarter on $229 million in revenue

-=Good Selling=-

TWIR " This Week in Ricoh"

Ricoh’s factory direct branches, Ricoh Business Solutions, in an effort to promote sales of its workgroup color laser MFPs, is apparently now offering to pay the first two payments of a customer’s lease of selected models.

Ricoh is also promoting its “@Remote” appliance, which gathers meters from its MFPs, to report to Ricoh service department, among other features. The Ricoh branches in some cases will sell these devices to customers for $1.00, if they agree to allow it to monitor at least 5 devices on the network.

Ricoh announced that it plans on providing a beta version of “Quanp” to user in U.S., after launching in Japan only. The new website offers:
- could storage service
- name is short for quantum paper
- billed as a new visual online storage service
- allows end user an online sport for collecting and organizing photos
- uses a Windows client with a 3d interface

IKON, a division of Ricoh, is now shipping the embedded version of EFI DocSend. Details:
- The original DocSend, also known as EFI SendMe, was an external device, much like
the eCopy ScanStation
- IKON was selling $10 to $20 million of external DocSend’s per year
- IKON claims it sold 100 each of the DocSends connected to the relabeled Konica Minolta production print systems (which it no longer carries after the acquisition by Ricoh)
- Works currently only with Ricoh MFPs that have ESO (Java-based Embedded Software Architecture)
- Actual OCR function performed on the DocSend software loaded on customer’s server
- Scan to e-mail and scan to folder come standard
- Does not come with Scan to Me (that comes with external version)
- Is not currently compatible with the 80 application connectors that are available for external version
- Connectors that are available are EMC Documentum, EFI Digital StoreFront, Open Text Captaris RightFax, Alchemy Westbrook Fortis for $1080 each
- Later this year, it will launch connectors for Microsoft SharePoint and Ricoh Document Mall
- LDAP and Windows authentication are supported
- File formats supported are searchable PDF, Word and Excel
- Thumbnails displayed on copier control panel
- Image despeckle and deskew are standard
- OCR engine used is Nuance OmniPage
- Base MSRP of $1710 for service license for one MFP
- $1440 for an additional MFP
- $6750 for 5 MFPs
- $12,150 for ten MFPs
- $18,000 for 20 MFPs

-=Good Selling=-

Leasing Companies & MFP Copiers

I was in the field the other day and stumbled across an existing lease for eight pieces of equipment. The customer was two years into a 5 year lease. The MSRP for the equipment that was stated on the lease is around $210,000, payments should have been about $4,200, however this companies payments were over $8,000!!




At $8,000 per month the deal would have funded $416,000 back to the Direct Branch that sold the deal. Here's the kicker, how when leasing companies for the past three years will not fund more than 150% of MSRP along with holding dealers feet to the fire for overbooked deals.





Sounds to me like there is one set of rules for dealers and another set of rules for Direct Branches. It's deals like this that give reps, branches and leasing companies bad names. The sales person and the leasing company should be held accountable for the big RIP OFF!

-=Good Selling=-

MFP Weekend Industry Notes 6/28/09

Special thanx to the P4P Hotel members for this!

Canon’s executive vice president of research & development, Toshiaki Ikoma, was interviewed recently and made following comments:

- Will gradually shift from make-everything-in-house approach to open style I which Canon purchases and licenses technologies from other firms
- “I will primarily focus on deepening and broadening the company’s technology base. Specifically, precision, optic, large-scale integrations, designing, imaging, and materials technologies, among some other, compose Canon’s technology base.”
- I look to increase the depth and breadth of these base technologies. By making the most of this technological foundation, the company will create cutting-edge camera, ink jet and other technologies.”
- “To this end, the company has setup up the base-technology development department to ensure the new technologies will spring up”.
- “Today, however, companies advocating open innovation – assembling products by using the cheapest but excellent technologies developed by other firms around the world – are proving winners, as has been the case for Apple Corp., with the iPod and for Nintendo Co. with the Wii video console.”
- “Apple has brought out new products on after another through the open approach. Still, it remains well ahead of competitors because it outstrips rivals in its ability to come up with new product concepts.”
- “What makes the difference is not elemental technologies but conceptual power and marketing skill. Marketing knowledge is gaining importance in R&D as well.”

Fuji of Japan announced that it now has moved 80% of all manufacturing for copier/printers to China to reduce costs:
- Mie Prefecture of China make functional components such as printheads and circuit boards
- Niigata of China make printers and supplies

Xerox’s VP of North American Resellers, stated that its printer/MFP sales through computer dealers are down 19%.

Fuji of Japan announced it started its own channel on YouTube to advertise its copiers and MFPs.

In South Africa, Konica Minolta launched a managed print services program, and named it “bizhub quantum”.

Oce’ detailed its new cost cutting plans:
- will fire 800 employees to save $91 million in costs through 2010
- during last fiscal year, the company cut 1,250 employees
- by end of 2010, will have cut a total of 8% of its workforce
- agreed to an amendment in its loan covenants, which provide increased flexibility for the
necessary restructuring costs
- under previous loan covenants, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was not adjusted for extraordinary items
- under new covenants, EBITDA is adjusted for restructuring charges, exceeding a threshold of $3.6 million per quarter, for book profits for the sale of real estate and/or business, and cumulative
translation adjustments
- the company will use the proceeds of any business or real estate disposal to reduce debt

Muratec now relabels DocuLex document management software, and calls it “ScanTab”

Notable Solutions Inc. is launching a new scan/retrieve solution, called AutoStore Express featuring:
- Plans to offer this as an optional embedded application for a variety of MFP manufacturers
- Users can scan and send to a folder, by browsing for the folder on the network using copier control panel
- Can also search for folder using LDAP
- User can authenticate and document routed to end user PC
- Users can see emailed document sent from the MFP in the Sent folder of Microsoft Outlook
- Can scan to email as a link, so bandwidth is decrease, as the person receiving the email accesses document via the link
- Generates encrypted PDFs
- Barcodes can be used for indexing
- Offers zone OCR, from a defined place on documents
- Automatically removes blank pages from documents
- Cropping feature to remove white space around small original
- hole-punch mark removal
- deskew/despeckle
- Can remove backgrounds and colors
- Pricing and ship date not yet announced

In a survey conducted by the Association of National Advertisers of marketing executives, the following was found:
- 56% will cut back on their media budgets this year
- 50% will cut back on production budgets
- 41% will cut back on sponsorships/event activities
- 41% will increase pricing dealers
- 26% will increase social networking/word-of-mouth activities

Toshiba’s new CRO, Norio Sasaki, was interviewed recently:
- company reported a $3.61 billion loss for last fiscal
- recently raised $5 billion in capital through debt and new stock shares
- plans to boost company’s shareholder-equity ratio to 30% from current 19%
- stated that he would consider having Toshiba exiting unprofitable businesses
- would overhaul its computer chip operations
- expects to lose 50 billion yen this fiscal year
- will cut fixed costs by 330 billion this fiscal
- expects significant growth in the nuclear power plant division
- forecasts building 39 nuclear power plants by end of 2015

Hewlett Packard announced a new product that it claims will revolutionize the printer industry. The new HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web. Details:
- MSRP of $399
- Full color inkjet MFP
- Features direct web access from a color LCD control panel, allowing end users to print right from a website
- Will be able to print coupons from coupons.com, fandango.com, google.com and nickelodeon.com

Kyocera announced it has partnered with IDC to add cpc data on its competitors to the Kyocera TCO Tracker website. The purpose is to show end users the apparent savings when using Kyocera’s amorphous silicon ceramic drum based desktop printers.

Kyocera is being sued by WIAV Networks, of Reston, VA, over alleged patent infringement. The suit was filed in Texas, over wireless router technology.

Equitrac, maker of MFP/printer accounting and cost recovery solutions, announced more executives hired:
- Joe Hartnett was hired as VP of North American Sales, who was formerly Director of Sales for EFI.
- Kimberly Meyers was hired as Senior Director of Marketing, and is formerly from XMPie.

SageWorks listed the 10 most bankruptcy prone companies:
- auto dealers
- motor vehicle dealers
- nursing care facilities
- hotels
- sporting goods and hobby stores
- land development companies
- investigation and security providers
- residential building companies
- motor vehicle parts makers
- print for pay companies
- It also listed the most financially healthy companies:
- IT consulting
- Systems design firms
- Accounting & bookkeeping firms
- Health practitioners (chiropractors, physical therapists, etc.)
- Electricals/electronics wholesalers
- Technical/trade schools

Two people were arrested in Seagoville, Texas for using a color copier to make fake $100 bills. One worked as a cashier at the local Walmart, and her partner came in to the store to buy gift certificates from her with the fake cash.

Gerald Lynn McIntire, 41, of Oklahoma City, OK was ordered to pay $2300 in restitution to businesses and banks in three states after he plead guilty to making fake $100 bills on a color copier.

California’s governor, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, announced an initiative to replace all paper textbooks in public schools with digital textbooks. No details given on the cost, and what devices will be used to view the books. Local book printers were very concerned with the news.

Oce’ announced that it will relabel the Konica Minolta bizhub 601 and 751, and call them the VarioLink 6022 and 7522.

Some investors and analysts said that the Obama administration’s proposed restructuring of the financial regulatory system would force General Electric to divest itself of its GE Capital Leasing division. GE’s CEO, Jeffrey Inmelt is opposed, saying; “We are certainly opposed to it, since this issue had nothing to do with the financial crisis.” Inmelt is already trying to scale back GE Capital , which accounted for half of the conglomerate’s profit in 2007. The goal is that the company would only rely on it for just 30% of earnings.

eCopy won an award from BERTL as the “Best Enterprise Document Imaging”.

Key Leasing has announced they are exiting the copier leasing business.

-=Good Selling=-

Ricoh "This Week in Ricoh"

In Japan, Ricoh announced it will move some 1500 engineers into a new division so it can expand information services.

Ricoh announced it will soon offer a new option for the C900 production color system, the Creo print controller. (Canon made a similar announcement recently)

Ricoh has decided to call its managed print services program in Europe; “Ricoh Click”.

Ricoh is now a reseller for Objectif Lune’s PlanetPress and PrintShop Mail variable data software packages.

Ricoh is conducting open houses at its factory direct branches across the country, with the theme “Ricoh Royale” featuring:
- Solution vendors on hand include eCopy, OmTool, Stria
- Prizes, games and giveaways with casino theme
- Presentations on use of green technology, managed print services
- Guest speakers

Ricoh launched new desktop color inkjet printers, the Aficio GX e3300N/GX and e3350N. Both use the Gel ink technology. Pricing ranges form $179 to $249, and offers up to 29ppm top speed.

IKON, a division of Ricoh, announced a new solution for the legal industry, called Litovation. This new service offers Data Forensics, Electronic Discovery, Document Imaging, Document Coding and Hosting/Review.

IKON also is center of controversy with the Town of North Greenbush, NY. The town council is upset with supervisor, Mark Evers, over why he signed a lease with IKON for new copiers, when the town was looking to reduce expenses. The council claims that he did not have the authority to sign the contract. Council member Al Spain stated; “A ratio of three employees per copier is outrageous in any setting!.”

-=Good Selling=-

Paradigm Imaging Group’s Award Winning Supra Gets Better!

Costa Mesa, CA – July 1, 2009 – Paradigm Imaging Group, a leading distributor of large-format scanning and printing solutions, announces the release of the enhanced EIS Supra multi-function system.

The Award-Winning Supra, the most popular of Paradigm’s line of large format scan-print-copy systems, has just gotten better! The Supra has been enhanced with new scanning and printing capabilities and a new, sleek design. The New Supra now features:

New! Graphtec SK280 36” color scanner
Scan speeds up to 6 inches per second in Grayscale and B/W and 2 inches per second in color @400 dpi
Up to 600 dpi true optical resolution, 1200 dpi interpolated
Convenient, face-up scanning
Improved document feeding

go here for rest of press release

-=Good Selling=-