Page 16 - BOSS Today Issue 17

Special Report - Consumables & Office Machines

are printing more than ever easily identifiable product that Remanufactured “office
before, largely because we are is widely available online and Morris, meanwhile, sees the
generating so much more data in retail, the price will always be big “green impact” in the product
than ever before. And we as very visible.” growth of remanufactured
consumers are being presented He thinks to try to counter toners and cartridges. It is dealers have
with ever improving printers at this dealers have tried to move four years since Beta launched
ever reducing costs that allows more into providing managed Perfect Green, its own brand yet to grasp
us to print more.” print services (MPS), with of remanufactured toners. mPs and
Bradley Hollingworth, account the provision of toners and Morris says: “These have very
manager for Jet Tec International cartridges included in this. But, clearly stated environmental promote it as
claims that his company has while he sees this trend growing, credentials but also provide
seen substantial growth in he is yet to be convinced that a quality that will satisfy a concept
toner sales in the past 12 to 18 dealers truly understand what the user. We have since
months. He says concerns about MPS, which he agrees is a very then added three more for their
the impact of digital media are broad term, is really all about. “To remanufactured product
possibly valid for the average date office product dealers in ranges to our portfolio.” customers.”
home where many people use general have yet to really grasp The company also offers an
social media for their photos it and promote it as a concept to empty cartridge collection
and tablets or laptops for their customers,” he says. service.
documents. “However the dream Then of course, there is the But he says the move to
of a paperless office is unlikely to growing pressure from the remanufactured products
ever become a reality,” he says. green lobby. With cartridges isn’t just a response to any
Nevertheless, there have and toners potentially so easy to environmental pressure. In
been changes. Morris says that dispose of, how have suppliers a way it also makes perfect
over the years he has seen a reacted to this pressure to make sense in today’s market. “The
general trend towards EOS sure the market behaves in a growth in remanufactured
losing its particular status and more environmentally friendly product has been driven
becoming a “general” office way? by a number of factors,” he
consumable rather than a Hollingworth says DCI, the says, “including end user
“technical” product. “OEMs have manufacturer behind the Jet Tec demand, but also including a
done things like simplified part brand, is continually researching better margin for the dealers;
numbering and provided easy new ways to reduce its carbon improving quality, and OEM
to use compatibility information footprint. He claims the Extralife action against new copy or
to ensure that users can easily technology that many of the clone products infringing their
replace their cartridges,” he says. company’s cartridges comes IP.”
All this, of course, has had with means that customers can In other words, the toner
an effect on margins. “EOS obtain more prints from a Jet Tec market is still one that keeps
has replaced general office cartridge than from a traditional changing. Hardly mundane,
stationery in terms of its OEM product. “This reduces the then, at all.
percentage importance to the frequency that a cartridge is
office products dealer, which purchased and thus results in n To find ouT more, visiT
has inevitably brought with it fewer cartridges being sent to www.betadistribution.com
margin pressures,” he says. “As an landfill,” he says. and www.jettec.co.uk.

16 BOSS TODAY | May/June 2013

Office machines.indd 6 29/05/2013 14:43