Epson expanded its robust line-up of business-class printing solutions with the introduction of three new WorkForce wide format products – the WorkForce WF-7520 and WF-7510 all-in-ones and WorkForce WF-7010 single function inkjet printer. All three models deliver single- and double-sided print speeds of 15 ISO ppm black and 8.0 ISO ppm color single-sided; 7.8 ISO ppm black and 5.2 ISO ppm color double-sided. Additionally, the all-in-ones offer both 13-inch-by-19-inch printing and an 11-inch-by-17-inch scan bed.
OKI announced that it has posted extraordinary loss (loss on natural disasters) due to the flood damage in Thailand in its financial results for the first nine months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. OKI posted 2.7 billion yen for loss on fixed assets and inventories as well as recovery expenses as "loss on natural disasters" in its financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. OKI expects additional outlay until the facility resumes full-scale operations.
Canon announced the launch of three new affordable all-in-one models ideal for the home office environment; the PIXMA MX375, PIXMA MX435 and PIXMA MX515. Replacing the PIXMA MX360, PIXMA MX410 and PIXMA MX420, the new compact models feature Wi-Fi connectivity for easy scanning, copying, faxing and printing, fast printing speeds and new XL cartridges for reduced printing costs.
Canon announced a new compact, web-enabled, all-in-one printer packed with features to suit students or families looking for an affordable, quality printer with the latest Web features. The PIXMA MG4150 can print a 10-by-15 cm borderless photo in approximately 44 seconds, with ISO speeds of 9.9ipm for black and white documents and 5.7ipm for color. For frequent users, Canon FINE ink cartridges now come in a high yield XL size “offering up to 50 percent cost per page savings over standard tanks,” the company’s statement said.
A continually evolving breed of unknown, persistent, targeted, and adaptive security threats is pushing businesses' enterprise IT/security infrastructure to their limits and driving the expansion of the security services threat intelligence market. According to new research from International Data Corporation (IDC), this emerging predictive security market is forecast to grow from $198 million in 2009 to $905 million in 2014 as organizations struggle to keep pace.
Lexmark International, Inc. introduced the new OfficeEdge Series of MFPs (the OfficeEdge Pro5500 and Pro4000), which are built upon Lexmark’s new business inkjet platform and engineered with enterprise-caliber components to “deliver the long-lasting, reliable performance of a laser with the color quality and affordability of an inkjet,” the company’s statement said.
Lexmark International, Inc. announced financial results for the full year and fourth quarter of 2011. For the full year, hardware revenue of $989 million declined 7 percent while supplies revenue of $2.912 billion was flat. Core revenue, which includes laser and business inkjet hardware and supplies, MPS and software, grew 7 percent year to year while Legacy revenue, which includes consumer inkjet hardware and supplies that the company is exiting, declined 35 percent. “Lexmark’s focus continues to be on growing the company’s Core, as Legacy, which in 2011 represented about 12 percent of Lexmark’s revenue, continues to become a less significant portion of the company’s revenue mix,” the company’s statement said.
On January 23, 2012, the U.S. International Trade Commission (US ITC) received a complaint filed on behalf of Canon Inc. According to the report, the complaint alleges that more than 30 companies – comprising four groups of defendants: Clover, Orink, NuKote and multiple dealers – have violated section 336 of the Tariff Act of 1930, specifically the “projection at the end of the drum that enables … a detachable coupling.” The report alleges that the respondents unlawfully import into the U.S., sell for importation, and/or sell within the U.S. after importation of certain toner cartridges and components thereof.
A press release from Epson stated that the OEM and Ninestar have settled all disputes relating to alleged infringements of Epson’s U.S. patents by Ninestar’s new and remanufactured cartridges. Without admitting any infringements, Ninestar agrees that the asserted Epson patents are valid and enforceable, that it will cease sales of the accused products and that it will not infringe the asserted Epson patents. Ninestar may, however, continue selling legally remanufactured cartridges.
Xerox recently reported that in 2011, the Xerox group (Xerox and its wholly owned subsidiaries) garnered 1,618 U.S. patents, growing its number of filed patents to nearly 58,000 since 1930. “A growing number of patents reflect Xerox’s focus on integrating innovation into the company’s services business,” the company’s statement said. Some of Xerox’s current patents include technologies to help manage electronic payments and time and attendance systems more efficiently. Together, Xerox and Fuji Xerox invest about $1.5 billion annually in research and development.
Although the Ricoh Group's two production bases in Thailand managed to avoid direct damage to equipment as well as danger to employees, the company experienced difficulty in sourcing out some parts, and since October 17, 2011, the company had to suspend production in some laser printer lines. Ricoh recently reported, however, that production has now returned to preflood levels, and in order to make up for the lag in production scheduling, Ricoh aims to increase total production volume, thus ensuring a stable product supply going forward.
Eastman Kodak Company announced today that it and its U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 business reorganization. The business reorganization is intended to, among other things, enable the company to focus on its most valuable business lines, which, according to Chairman and CEO Antonio M. Perez, include “ … our breakthrough printing and deposition technologies, which give Kodak a competitive advantage in our growing digital businesses.”
New research suggests that the printing, publishing and packaging markets in the United States will see an overall increase by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.6 percent from 2010 through 2015. InfoTrends’ updated study, titled "U.S. Printing and Publishing Market Sizing: 2010-2015," shows a slight improvement from the market research firm’s outlook last year due to the U.S. economy performing somewhat above InfoTrends’ expectations for 2011.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. announced the launch of new bizhub multifunctional products and supporting solutions. The bizhub C754/C654 series promises fast output speeds of up to 60-ppm color/75-ppm black and white (C754) and 60-ppm color/black and white (C654). Konica Minolta says its new bizhub 42/36 offer “a total document solution … (and) provide fast, high-resolution monochrome prints and copies of B&W or color originals at one of the lowest cost-per-page rates in their class.”
The wide-format UV-curable inkjet market is the smallest, yet the most competitive product segment within the wide format digital printing industry, reports InfoTrends. The global market for wide format UV-curable inkjet printers and supplies is expected to grow from $1.42 billion in 2010 to $3.04 billion in 2015 for a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.4 percent.