Ricoh launches new production system
– now offering the new Ricoh Pro VC70000 production color inkjet system
– continuous feed (roll fed) system
– top speed of 150 meters per minute, producing nearly 12,000 duplex B2 sheets per hour
– capable of running multiple millions of impressions per month
– piezo crystal drop on demand print heads
– 1200×1200 dpi
– handles uncoated, offset coated, inkjet treated or inkjet coated papers
– The dryer unit, patent pending, supports a wide range of media and high coverage applications in the commercial market.
o objective of the new dryer is to produce flat sheets on all media but in particular with offset coated media
o small footprint module comprises a heat drum with small heat rollers (sHR) that support up to 120mpm printing on offset coated papers ranging from 40gsm to 250gsm and up to 150 m/m from 64gsm to 157gsm
o dryer can be operated through the Ricoh Digital Front End (DFE) and each of the front and rear engines (Printer 1 and Printer 2) have their own settings.
o Predefined dryer temperature settings can be preset and stored.
o significantly reduces cockling on all media (cockling occurs when paper becomes distorted by ripples or wrinkles in areas of high ink coverage, caused by the use of too much ink and/or too much moisture and humidity in the paper)
o paper is dried on the large heat drum evenly
o dryers in the two engines use the small heat rollers to dry and condition the paper
Ricoh launches new production toner
– announced the release of its Invisible Red Toner for use in the RICOH Pro C7100 and C7200 series production color laser systems
– enabling users to print specialized designs that are only visible under fluorescent or black UV lights
– MSRP for toner is $500, with yield of 17,300-pages based on 15% coverage
– To use the red toner, users are required to purchase additional options including a color controller, an EFI color kit, and a color replacement kit.
Xerox hires new HR exec
– Announced it has hired Suzan Morno-Wade as new executive VP and chief human resources office, reports to CEO, John Visentin.
Kyocera reports quarterly earnings
– Document Solutions Group division (printers and MFPs) reported that net sales were down 1.2% during last quarter to $1.4 billion
– Operating profit down 9.7% to $87 million
Fujifilm and Xerox still in court
– Fujifilm of Japan is seeking $1 billion in damages and a $183 million termination fee from Xerox, for not going through with the acquisition
– Xerox filed motion to dismiss this
– Fujifilm stated: “Of course, termination fees are, by nature, quite often sought when a contracting counterparty has purported to terminate a transaction. For this reason, as is typical, Xerox and Fujifilm agreed that ‘Section 7.03 (Fees and Expenses) shall survive the termination of this Agreement.’ … Thus, Fujifilm agrees with Xerox that the contract should be ‘enforced as written’ … and Xerox’s Motion should be denied.”
– Fujifilm says Xerox’s motion to dismiss is “little more than a tactic to delay discovery.”
– urged the court to deny Xerox’s motion in its entirety, thus allowing Fujifilm’s claims against Xerox to “proceed expeditiously so that Fujifilm can recover for the substantial harm that Xerox has caused.”
Xerox wins production print contract
– award from 3@1, a commercial printer in Johannesburg, South Africa
– installed a Xerox Color C70 production color laser system
– reasons given for choosing include:
o 2 400dpi x 2 400dpi
o 70ppm color top speed
o Xerox Emulsion Aggregation (EA) Low Melt Toner
o licensed Pantone matching for spot colors to the Pantone Matching System, Pantone GOETM and Pantone PLUS
o Fogra Certified for matching offset color presses and IDEAlliance Digital Press Certified to GRACoL specifications.
Xerox wins award from BLI
– Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab announced that Xerox the 2019 Document Imaging Software Line of the Year award
– “Our rigorous analysis determined that Xerox offers the most complete lineup overall, with a broad range of solutions that address customers’ document-centric ‘pain points’ and solve business challenges.”; stated Jamie Bsales of BLI
Sharp plans AI and IoT appliances
– Tok Shan-Man, GM at Sharp, a division of Hon Hai Precision of Taiwan (aka Foxconn), announced company’s plans to expand its Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (AIoT) offering
– intends to create an AIoT ecosystem by focusing on bringing in products, services and platforms that connect homes and social systems
– currently offers IoT applicable flagship models of air conditioners and air purifiers
– launching small and beauty appliances in the near future
– products will include TVs, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, water overs, vacuum blenders, hair dryers and hair iron brushes
Sharp names new CFO
– Sharp, a division of Hon Hai Precision of Taiwan (aka Foxconn) announced that Moonsun Park is new CFO
– Ms. Park will lead all financial functions, including general accounting, consolidation and reporting, financial planning and analysis, treasury, tax and accounts payable and JSOX compliance
– Reports to Ted Kawamura, CEO
Canon demands Amazon stop selling toner
– Canon continues to petition Amazon to remove third-party toner cartridges
– filed three Report Infringement Forms with Amazon
– claiming patent infringement by firms on Amazon that are selling toner cartridges advertised as low cost non-OEM alternatives for use in HP LaserJet devices
– (Canon continues to make most of the LaserJet branded products sold by HP)
EFI to raise more money
– Electronics For Imaging proposes offering of $130 million worth of convertible senior notes due 2023
– Notes will be due November 15, 2023
– Intends to grant to the initial purchasers, the right to purchase up to an additional $19.5M of the notes.
– The Notes will pay interest semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, beginning on May 15, 2019
– Expects to use up to $48M of the net proceeds to repurchase shares of its common stock and the remainder for general corporate purposes.
Dealer acquisitions and expansions
–
ImageNet Consulting
, headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, announced it has acquired Unilink Inc., located in Silt, Colorado
o Unilink is a Ricoh dealer
o ImageNet is now in six states and has 19 offices
–
Novatech
announced it is opening a new, expanded location in Malden, Missouri
o Novatech is headquartered in Nashville, TN
o Novatech entered the Missouri market when it acquired Shelton Business Machines five years ago
–
Scantron Corp.
has acquired IT Nexus, a managed services provider (MSP) with healthcare expertise in Omaha, Nebraska
o This is Scantron’s third MSP-oriented buyout in the Omaha area.
o Earlier deals involved acquiring WRK Systems in 2017 along with P&L Technology in 2016.
o Scantron is headquartered in Minnesota, with additional locations in Research Triangle of North Carolina; and Columbia, Pennsylvania.
§ Has technicians across 45 states; provides IT support to more than 9,000 customers nationally; services more than 300,000 pieces of equipment; and manages more than 21,000 endpoints.
MPS market has continued growth
– According to Transparency Market Research, the global managed print services market (MPS) will reach $56.53 billion by 2026
– progressing from $30.7 billion earned in 2016
– Between 2018 and 2026, the market is projected to expand at an 8.6-percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Clover fighting Sears/Kmart bankruptcy
– Sears announced it would file for bankruptcy on October 15
– The company merged with Kmart in 2004, but the former retail giant and mail-ordering pioneer has continued to struggle and close stores in the years since the merger
– Clover Technologies Group has objected to certain aspects of Sears’s bankruptcy plan
– At issue is certain ink and toner cartridges, MICR cartridges, and postage products manufactured by Clover and sold by Kmart
o concern was that Sears’s plan to close Kmart stores and liquidate merchandise would result in sales of Clover products going to other creditors.
o Clover claims that it retains title and ownership of printer supplies on Kmart shelves until it is scanned at the register, at which time it is purchased and then resold to the retail customer.
Epson adds incentives to dealer program
– introduced new incentives for new channel dealer partners joining its CapturePro Partner Program
– features expanded discounts and incentives, including upfront margins, deal registration discounts, and sales SPIFFs
– delivers up to a 10% credit memo with tiered goals starting at as low as $5,000 in document-scanner sales in the first six months
– dealers who register a deal through the Epson CapturePro Program receive an upfront discount as much as 25%
– receive an additional 10% discount for registering a 10+ unit deal
– can receive up to a $200 sales SPIFF per unit
–
volume incentive rebates and market development funds are also available
– 30-day free trial to test any of the Epson commercial scanners free of charge, including shipping both ways
Office Depot to offer managed IT
– Office Depot, under division named CompuCom, now offering managed IT as a service
– Subscription-based service targeted to SMBs
– Provides 24/7 IT support, system monitoring, security and consulting
– Pricing starts at $49/month
Lexmark wins security recognition
– Award from IDG Communications CSO magazine
– The 2019 CSO50 award recognizes firms for driving innovation in the security field and implementing world-class security practices
– Won award for the Privacy@Lexmark program, which is in regards to treatment of confidential data entrusted to Lexmark
MGI and Memjet inkjet partnership
– Memjet, maker of page-wide inkjet print heads announced that MGI Digital Technology, a manufacturer of digital printing presses and finishing solutions, has integrated Memjet’s DuraLink printing technology into its new AlphaJET B1 Inkjet Printing and Embellishment press.
o 40+” sheet-fed press
o uses Memjet DuraLink inkjet print heads, ink and modules
o 5-color digital printing system (CMYK plus white or clear)
o decorative special effects such as 2D/3D UV dimensional textures and variable embossed foil
o 1600x1600dpi
o Handles print and embellish corrugated flute board, paper, plastic, and synthetic substrates at 1,800 B1 sheets (70.7 x 100cm/28 x 40”) per hour.
Large Midwest dealer management change
– The Gordon Flesch Company, headquartered in Wisconsin, has named Patrick Flesch as President and Mark Flesch as Chief Operating Officer
– family owned since 1956, Mark and Patrick are continuing the legacy of founder Gordon Flesch, who began the company selling and servicing Thermofax machines from the back of his car
– largest independent Canon dealer in the United States with more than 600 employees in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio
– will report to Tom Flesch, president and CEO, their father
HP Inc. posts earnings reports
– For the full year, HP reported total net revenue (from all divisions including PCs) of $58.5 billion, up 12% percent
o Total net earnings of $5.3 billion, up 111%
o Fourth-quarter net revenue was $15.4 billion, up 10%
– HP Inc.’s Personal Systems (PCs and laptops) net revenue was up 11% for last quarter
o 3.8% operating margin
o Total units were up 6%
§ Notebooks units up 8%
§ Desktops units up 2%
– HP Inc.’s Printing group’s (3D, inkjet, laser, printers and MFPs) total net revenue was up 9% for the quarter to $5.3 billion
o Includes acquisition of Apogee of Europe and Printer/MFP division of Samsung
o 16.1% operating margin or $46 million total
o Total operating profit of $851 million
o Total hardware units were up 11%
§ Commercial hardware units up 85%
§ Consumer hardware units up 3%
§ Claims that overall print unit share is now 42%.
o Supplies net revenue was up 7% to $3.4 billion
Toshiba launches new A4 MFPs
– all are actually manufactured by Lexmark, a division of Ninestar of China
– now shipping the monochrome e-STUDIO478S and the color e-STUDIO389CS and e-STUDIO479CS
– the e-STUDIO478S is based on the Lexmark MX620 series devices
– the e-STUDIO389CS and 479CS based on the Lexmark CX725 series
– The e-STUDIO478S is a 50 ppm A4 MFP
o maximum monthly duty cycle of 175,000 pages
o 100-sheet document feeder
§ Scans both sides of original at same time
o 500GB hard drive
– e-STUDIO389CS and 479CS are A4 color MFPs with output speeds of 40 ppm and 50 ppm, respectively, in both black and color
o maximum monthly duty cycles are 120,000 pages and 150,000 pages
o 100-sheet reversing automatic document feeder
o 1.2 GHz quad core processor
o 320GB hard drive standard on 479 model, option on 389 model
– all three have 7” color LCD touchscreen and feature:
o 1200x1200dpi
o 650 sheet standard paper supply
§ Can upgrade to 2300 sheets
o 10/100/1000BaseT & USB ports
o 256-bit AES encryption
o security held print jobs feature
o hard disk drive encryption and wiping
– MSRPs are $3,575 for the e-STUDIO478S, $5,663 for the e-STUDIO389CS, and $8,330 for thee-STUDIO479CS.
HP court battle with Autonomy founder
– The U.S. files criminal charges against entrepreneur Mike Lynch over the sale of software firm Autonomy to HP alleging he made false statements that inflated the value.
– Lynch founded Autonomy and was the CEO when HP bought the company for $11 billion in 2011
– A year later, HP wrote off three-quarters of Autonomy’s value and accused Lynch and colleagues of financial mismanagement.
– Lynch’s lawyers call the indictment a "travesty of justice" and that “HP has sought to blame Autonomy for its own crippling errors, and has falsely accused Mike Lynch to cover its own tracks.”
– If convicted, Lynch would have to forfeit $815M in proceeds and could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the 14 counts of conspiracy and fraud.
