A 7% Increase in Printer and Copier Market Discovered in Q2 2012

According to the research firm Gartner, the combined serial inkjet and page printers, copiers and multifunction products market in the United States totaled 7,150,202 units in the second quarter of 2012, a 6.8% increase over the same period last year. The total end-user spending reached $208.1 million USD, an increase of 35% from the same period last year as well.

According to Gartner Research Analyst Amrita Choudhury, "The MFP market growth here has been driven by the banking, financial services and insurance, education and government sectors." Choudhury went on to say that the market also gained some traction in the high speed segment, often used by large publishing houses or organizations to print their outbound communications. 

HP remained on top in the markets for printers, copiers and multifunction printers, accounting for 51.4% of shipments. Canon pulled in the number 2 spot with 23%, while Samsung and Epson rounded out the leaders with 8.3% and 8.1%, respectively. In the A4 MFP segment, HP was the market leader as well with a 48.2% market share, followed by Samsung with 22.7% and Canon with 13.7%. The A3 flatbed copier MFP segment saw Canon leading the pack with a 28.9% market share. Konica Minolta took the number 2 spot with 19.7% and Ricoh commanded 12.8% of the market. 

Not everything was positive, however, with the inkjet printer market declining 7.2% in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. HP, which accounted for 50.8% of the total sales in the segment, also saw a decline of 23.6%. Epson held a market share of 30% and also had a shipment decline of 8.8%. Canon also improved shipments in the inkjet division by increasing by 136% compared to the second quarter of 2011, contributing 18.8% of market share.

Source: NDTV Gadgets - Printers and copiers market grows 7%: Gartner

Xerox Seeks to Increase Business with Digital Services Model

Xerox isn't having much luck in terms of share worth these days as the company's shares have failed to break $8 per share since falling below that point in the beginning of May. The company's stock fell dramatically last August from $10.45 per share to $7.70.

Digital commerce and communication have been identified as threats to Xerox's traditional core business of photocopiers and printing. As a result, diversification spread into other services. Xerox acquired Affiliated Computer Services back in 2009, which also slightly turned the business model away from printing and more towards things like add-on services, though the branching out has proved to be fruitful for Xerox.

According to a statement from Morningstar's Michael Holt, "These services aren't tied to printing, but instead stem from IT outsourcing and processing Medicaid claims, which account for half of Xerox's revenue." Holt also stated that printing is cyclical, which exposes Xerox to headwinds. However, as our economy transitions its business model to services, Holt expects greater stability of operating results.

Tablets and smartphones have not been kind to consumer printing, though Xerox has had less exposure to this than some of its competitors like HP and Lexmark. According to Keith Bachman, analyst for BMO Capital Markets, "Xerox is in better shape, since Lexmark has a residual inkjet business and HP has a very meaningful inkjet business - this is positive for Xerox given the trends over the next five years."

The remnants of Xerox's printing business focuses on business and commercial printing, which is also dying at a slower rate than consumer printing. According to Bachman, "There are trends at the corporate level where companies are consolidating four or five laser jets into one in an attempt to lower the cost of printing." In addition to that, Bachman mentioned how Xerox, Cannon and other business printing manufacturers are managing companies' print services by putting printers on office floors that are located away from offices in an attempt to deter employees from printing, though they are still close enough to keep employees from complaining.

However, Xerox's shift to a services business model is one of the clearest signs that the days of a thriving printing industry are well in the past. The consensus analyst estimate for Xerox is $0.26 per share on sales of $5.6 billion. Xerox shares were recently trading at $7.25 and have dropped 12% year-to-date. Lexmark and HP, two of Xerox's biggest rivals, were also trading negative.

Source: Forbes - Xerox Works To Duplicate Copier Glory In Digital Services Model

Stocks for Printer Makers Drop Significantly

Laser and inkjet printer maker shares fell recently after Lexmark joined a whole host of other technology companies warning of falling sales in Europe. Lexmark's stock dropped as much as 17%, making it one of the biggest losses on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition to that, Lexmark's drop dragged down Xerox and HP, two rivals of the company.

Deteriorating economic conditions in Europe and a stronger dollar have led to grim forecasts from several American technology companies, including Advanced Micro Devices and Applied Materials. HP shares decreased by 3% to $18.77, the lowest in over a year, while Xerox saw stocks decrease as much as 3% as well. Japanese rival companies Canon and Ricoh both closed down on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as well.

Michael Holt, an analyst for Morningstar, stated that printing, which is always one of the most dispensable parts of a company's budget, is always the first target of cost-cutting measures. According to Holt, "When you see times of macro economic distress, printing is one of the areas most susceptible to changes in demand. Even if we have long term negative trends in printing, they can be exaggerated in the short run by economic conditions."

Lexmark derives nearly 40% of its sales from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, though it recently cut its profit outlook on Thursday and said second quarter revenue would decrease by nearly 12%, a number greater than what was initially anticipated. Lexmark also stated that it would be hurt by a strong dollar in the second quarter as well. The euro has shed 5.5% against the U.S. dollar this year alone.

Unlike Lexmark, HP has other business ventures that it can fall back on, including its Personal Systems Group, which is currently being merged with its printing group. HP derives nearly 20% of its revenue from its Imaging and Printing Group, which the company considers a steady cash flow due to recurring sales of printer cartridges. According to Holt, "Lexmark is focused on mainly business printing but HP has exposure to both businesses and consumers. We see consumer printing as declining much more rapidly than business."

Source: Reuters - Lexmark's outlook warning pulls down printer makers

New HP Printer Manufacturing Plant to Go Up in China

HP recently signed an agreement to start up a new printer manufacturing facility in Chongqing, China, which is expected to produce 60 million inkjet and laser printers every year after completion.

CEO for HP Meg Whitman was present during the signing ceremony and met with Chinese officials according to Chongqing's economic and information technology commission. Foxconn, the notable Taiwanese electronics manufacturer behind some of the biggest pieces of tech in the industry including Apple's iPad, is set to build the manufacturing facilities that HP is investing a currently unreleased amount in.

This new facility is expected to take two to three years to complete and will be completed in three stages. It is expected that, by 2015, the facility will produce 40 million inkjet printers every year, as well as 20 million laser printers and 150 million ink cartridges. The value of these products is also projected to produce $25 billion annually according to the commission.

HP, which ranks as the leading PC vendor in the world, already has facilities in Chongqing, which include a desktop and notebook manufacturing plant. HP announced last year that it would be expanding its manufacturing base in Shanghai while also building a regional China headquarters in the city as well. In addition to that, HP is looking to improve its enterprise business in China by investing more in delivering cloud computing products.

Other PC vendors, like Acer and Asus, also have manufacturing and operations facilities in Chongqing as well. Chongqing is also striving to become a major hub for technology in China. However, the city has recently become linked to a political scandal involving the city's former party secretary Bo Xilai, who has since been removed from his position. Zhang Dejiang, who replaced Bo Xilai, met with Whitman on Tuesday and welcomed HP's investment in Chongqing, noting that the new manufacturing operation was helping to develop China's western region.

Source: PC World - HP to Build New Printer Manufacturing Facility in China

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HP's New LaserJet Pro 100 Color Multifunction Printer

The new HP LaserJet Pro 100 is, overall, a solid color laser printer that is perfect for personal use. However, the high cost of consumables, along with the rather slow print speeds and missing features help limit the overall productivity of the device for use in home offices. If you are thinking of picking up the LaserJet Pro 100 for your home office, you may want to reconsider, especially since there are far better options out there that may cost you more up front but will, in turn, save you tons of money in the long run.

The LaserJet Pro 100 bears an almost exact resemblance to its predecessor, the LaserJet Pro M1212nf. However, this model is a step-up and cuts out the fax machine in favor of color printing that utilizes HP's innovative new carousel-style cartridge bay. The device also puts off a small carbon footprint by dumping the autoduplexer from the M1212nf and the rotating cartridge bay also helps with size, though at the expense of printing speed.

If you are looking at this device for a larger office, you may prefer to use a heavy-duty printer like the Dell 1355cnw multifunction printer but the LaserJet Pro 100 is still adequate for your small home office needs as it takes advantage of HP's unique features like ePrint and Smart Install as well as the device's own 35-page autodocument feeder.

As far as pros and cons go, the pros consist of the fact that the LaserJet Pro 100 will save you a ton of space while also offering professional-quality color documents with three-way network connectivity and cloud printing. The cons consist of print speeds being slower than average and the lack of autoduplexing which means more time and paper wasted. You can pick up the LaserJet Pro 100 printer from HP for $350.

Source: CNET - HP LaserJet Pro 100 Color MFP

Power Point Projectors
Most business class projectors will do a good job displaying your PowerPoint presentation. If you have a small presentation group, a 2000 lumen LCD projector will be able to produce a nice and clear picture. For larger audiences you should consider a 5000 lumen LCD projector.

HP's Deskjet 3050A All-in-One Printer

If you are looking for an all-in-one printer for your home or office, you may want to consider the new Deskjet 3050A All-in-One printer from HP. This device combines a very attractive design with the latest in cloud printing technology into one single multifunction device. In addition to that, the HP Deskjet 3050A All-in-One printer is perfect for small offices or home offices that do not need to print a lot of full-color photos and things of that nature.

However, with any product there are pros and cons. With the HP Deskjet 3050A All-in-One, you get a little of both. On the good side, this device features a rather refreshing design and the wireless capabilities for Web connectivity allow you to print in the cloud with HP ePrint technology. Many offices find great use in wireless cloud printing as it saves a lot of time and is much easier to do.

On the bad side, the HP Deskjet 3050A All-in-One lacks an Ethernet port for wired networking. In addition to that, the dual ink cartridge bay of the device is most definitely a money pit if you are planning on printing a high volume of photos or color documents. In times like these, most people and companies are looking at greener technologies and ones that can save them money, and this feature will definitely not do either.

Although the print quality of this device is limited by a dual-ink cartridge bay, the HP Deskjet 3050A All-in-One printer, which has a retail price of $80, is built for productivity with wireless connectivity as well as mobile printing thanks to HP smartphone apps and the company's ePrint remote printing service which allows you to access downloadable content from any computer.

However, the small, 60-sheet paper input capacity and the low-volume ink cartridges are not a positive for consumers looking at an all-in-one printer for a large office setting. Though if you are a periodic printer on a strict budget, the HP Deskjet 3050A All-in-One is definitely worth a second look.

Source: CNET - HP Deskjet 3050A e-All-in-One

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USAF Grants HP Contract for Printers, Supplies and Services

HP just recently announced that the company has been competitively awarded a purchase agreement by the United States Air Force. According to a statement from the USAF, "The U.S. Air Force is demonstrating strategic leadership in driving operational efficiencies and lowering overall costs through fleet consolidation, standardization and the use of environmentally sound devices."

As a part of the United States Air Force Information Technology Commodity Council Semi-Annual Enterprise Buy for Digital Printing and Imaging capabilities, which is basically a blanket purchase agreement utilized by the United States Air Force for the procurement of IT services and products, HP will be responsible for providing a plethora of HP branded standard printers and multifunction printers to the USAF.

Under the terms of the contract, the printers and multifunction printers will include pre-installed, value-added capabilities like the HP Universal Print Driver, USAF-approved security settings and the use of a Common Access Card Reader in order to support authorized use and other secure operations. This contract agreement also includes provisions for HP Original Toner, installation services and a four year Care Pack warranty which includes enhanced technical support.

The United States Air Force selected HP to meet its goals for modernizing, standardizing and consolidating its imaging and printing fleet, lowering overall operational costs and minimizing environmental impact. This also includes a significant reduction in the consumption of paper while at the same time improving device and network security. These devices are currently available on AFWay, the USAF's portal for the purchases of IT hardware, software and services which provides users leveraged buying power, asset tracking and oversight.

According to the Executive Vice President, Imaging and Printing Group, HP Vyomesh Joshi, "The U.S. Air Force is demonstrating strategic leadership in driving operational efficiencies and lowering overall costs through fleet consolidation, standardization, and the use of environmentally sound devices. This leadership extends to the environment where the Air Force looks to HP for solutions that reduce carbon footprint and power consumption. HP is thrilled to build on our 20-year history of providing the USAF with secure solutions that improve productivity, increase efficiency and reduce cost."

HP's DBI-10B device and toner price is, at the moment, lower than the pricing outlined in the U.S. government's General Services Agreement, which establishes guidelines for long-term government-wide contracts with commercial firms to provide access to commercial supplies and services at volume discount pricing. HP has been a strategic supplier of computers, both notebook and desktop, for over five years under a companion agreement. This agreement, as well as the previous one, is focused on leveraging USAF spending in order to improve mission effectiveness at lower costs with improved security built in at the factory.

Source: BLI - HP Awarded Contract by U.S. Air Force for Printers, Supplies and Services

Power Point Projectors
Most business class projectors will do a good job displaying your PowerPoint presentation. If you have a small presentation group, a 2000 lumen LCD projector will be able to produce a nice and clear picture. For larger audiences you should consider a 5000 lumen LCD projector.

The New HP Photosmart e-All-in-One D110a

When it comes to printers, they start to all look alike at some point. They all perform the same functions and are really an afterthought when it comes to hardware. But the new HP Photosmart e-All-in-One D110a goes the extra mile and could change the way we look at printers forever.

The HP Photosmart e-All-in-One D110a comes with its own specific email address. What does this mean? It means that no only can print documents, but you can email them as well...you can even add attachments! You can email information to smartphones or tablet PCs with the new printer. In addition, the Scheduled Delivery service will allow you to schedule printings at certain times on a specific day.

The new printers start at just $99 and max out at $299. The higher-level printers will include other features such as printing directly from the internet or a USB drive, and one even has an integrated fax machine.

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HP's New Plug & Print Laser Jet Printers

Last week, HP announced three new laser jet printers, aimed specifically at small businesses. Each one features "Smart Install," the company's new feature that makes installation easier. The need for a driver installation CD is gone with Smart Install, allowing you to install by simply plugging in an USB cable (the drivers are in the printer's memory).

The HP LaserJet Pro P1606dn is a single-function later printer. It features USB 2.0 and ethernet connectivity, auto-on/auto-off technology, and automatic double-sided printing. It's currently available for anywhere from $230 to $290.

The HP LaserJet Pro P1102w is also a single-function printer, but it offers Wifi 802.11 b/g in addition to USB 2.0. It has manual double-side printing and auto-on/auto-off technology. You can currently purchase it for about $150 to $190 at various online retailers.

Finally, the HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf MFP is a single-function laser printer that also offers USB 2.0 and Wifi 802.11 b/g. Double-sided printing is manual and it also features auto-on/auto-off technology. It's the printer pictured above and pricing details aren't yet available.

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HP Photosmart ML1000D Minilab Printer

Hewlett Packard unveiled its HP Photosmart ML1000D Minilab printer at the PMA 2010 Trade Show, and it caught a lot of attention. The printer is supposedly the industry's first dry, inkjet minilab solution that produces quality, traditional prints, as well as duplex photo book pages, and calendars in a single machine, in just minutes. This is great news for retailers! The printer will allow them to deliver lab-quality prints and other photo merchandise from a single printer.

The printers works alone or can work in collaboration with the HP Photo Center and can print photos as fast as 1,500 4 x 6 photos per hour. It also produces up to sixteen different single-sided print sizes and double-sided output in two different sizes, in a combination of gloss and matte finishes. Because of specially designed links and papers, the printer creates smudge-free, water-free, and fade-resistant prints that will, according to Picture Business Mag, "retain vivid, accurate colors for generations."

And as with most new gadgets, the new Minilab is environmentally conscious. Not only does is it eliminate the need for harmful chemicals, but it allows users to reduce electrical power consumption. Using the Minilab can save up to 64% of energy usage and 800 gallons of chemical and water discharge per year.

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HP Wants ColorLok Paper Worldwide

Hewlett Packard has been pushing for a higher-quality printing experience for everyone and last week they announced a step in that direction. JK Paper Ltd., the largest cut-size paper manufacturer in India has committed to supporting the ColorLok paper standard.

"JK Paper Ltd. is proud to adopt ColorLok technology in our paper. Our company produces high-value paper, and this commitment continues our history of innovation while improving the printing experience for our customers," A.K. Ghosh, Vice President of Sales for JK Paper, said in a statement.

By using ColorLok paper in their product lines, companies can print with more vivid colors and bolder blacks that do not show through to the other side. The paper offers a faster drying time and optimal results, making it very customer-friendly.

JK Paper is making ColorLok paper available to 40% of the Indian market. This means the new technology standard will soon be available in ten paper companies worldwide. The Colorlok program was announced at Paperworld in 2008 and has since been gaining global momentum. The technology is applied to recycled paper, giving it the ability to produce the same quality as most non-recycled papers. This allows companies to not only meet customers' needs but to also help the environment.

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