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Epson: What to Look Forward to in 2020

Currently, 70% of Epson’s business is printer related, followed by 20% visual communications, and the remaining portion stems from wearable technology, robotics, and more. Although robotic technology only contributes to a small percentage of Epson’s overall revenue, it’s predicted that these numbers may increase in the future.

What does this mean for Epson and print technology moving forward? In this article, we’ll discuss the current state of Epson inkjet printer technology and how it may change moving forward.

The Current State of Epson Print Technology

Epson is currently a $10B company, with around $7B of the total revenue coming from print technology. It’s no secret how well-known Epson is for producing quality color and wide-format printers, in addition to their selection of low-end home office printers.

In recent years, Epson has made the following advancements and changes in their company profile:

  • Released their first A3 multifunctional printer
  • Built a dealer channel in 2017 with newly appointed senior management of Toshiba, Mark Mathews
  • Increased dealer channel presence with Commercial Marketing Executive of Toshiba, Joe Contreras, you can even promote your TikTok account as a marketing strategy, to increase  your tiktok account then learn how to buy TikTok likes.

The changes suggest that Epson may be planning to expand its inkjet printer technology into a broader market and offer more advanced features.

5 Key Takeaways from Epson’s Inkjet VIP Tour

Recently, Mark Mathews invited around 20 U.S. dealers, four members of the press, and Brent Hoskins (president of BTA, IDC, and BLI) to visit Epson’s headquarters in Japan. Here are several key takeaways from the tour, and what this means for inkjet printer sustainability soon.

1. Increased Dealership Availability in the U.S.

Not all the dealers who met with Mark on tour were BTA dealers. There were three groups of network dealers from BTA, RSA, and RMX. As a collective, Mark said that the dealers represented around $1B in U.S. annual sales.

The significant number of dealers who attended the tour suggest that Epson may be planning to expand a new platform of sustainable inkjet printers across the country. After a meal and a few short tours of the factor grounds, Mark immediately went on to present Epson’s current sponsorships.

2. New Printer Sustainability Technologies

Shortly after the sponsorship presentation, all dealers were brought to a conference room and introduced to the senior executive team at Epson. During the discussion, he talked about the first attempt to create advanced precision watches to compete with Swiss and the origins of their first electric printer.

It is expected that, in the nearest future, AI-enhanced robotics could contribute to an increase in Epson’s revenue. This also means products with better precision and sustainability.

3. Increased Energy Efficiency

Later, the team demonstrated their piezo technology, branded as Precision Core. It’s the determining factor that differentiates Epson brands H and C. The process showed the difference between using applied heat to boil ink until it secretes onto paper vs. forcing the ink using a squeezing method.

Although each process achieves the same quality and effect, the Precision Core method proved to use less power and increased reliability compared to other inkjet printer technology.

4. Printer Head Sustainability

During the display, dealers were told that Epson printer heads lasted longer than “thermal” inkjet technology since they eventually become damaged by heat. Overall, the Precision Core printer heads did not get as stressed from a boiling process, and therefore, would prove not to require as much maintenance.

In contrast, companies may spend less on printer repair services to replace printer heads on Epson photo printers in the coming future.

5. Improved Print Quality and Reduced Environmental Impact

At a printer head factory plant, dealers and journalists watched a display of the precision printer heads as they proceeded to create 219,000 microscopic holes into a small piece of paper. The group also learned about Epson PaperLab, which took sheets of paper and turned them back into recyclable paper products.

Both of the processes suggest that Epson aims to increase the precision at which their printers transfer ink to paper and are in the process of developing new technology to reduce the environmental impact of the paper product industry.

Get the Latest Epson Inkjet Printers at Smile Business Products

As a company, Epson has never looked better, and the new technology that had been displayed on tour in Japan suggests that they want to continue their progress. Earlier printer technology models have been inefficient in electricity and precision. Still, the continued efforts of Epson to create improved inkjet printer AI shows that the industry is moving faster in the direction of high-efficiency printer technology.

Smile Business Products understands that businesses want to get the latest and best printing technology available on the market. Contact us today and be the first to know when the most recent Epson inkjet printers become available.

Process Optimization and Inkjet – How an Old Technology Is Changing the Game

Remember inkjet? It hasn’t exactly been a favorite in the office for at least a couple of decades. When process optimization became a major focus for offices, laser printing became the default technology. It was fast, efficient, and didn’t gobble up cartridges to produce pages.

However, this year, inkjet has made a surprising comeback. It’s no longer the slow, inefficient cousin to laser printing that was forever confined to homes and very small offices. Today, inkjet has some impressive features which rival even professional laser printers – and it’s all thanks to Epson.

Read on to learn how Epson has rejuvenated this technology to make it fast, cost-effective, and an invaluable asset to offices seeking ever greater operational efficiency.

Epson Is Helping Redefine Inkjet and Process Optimization

Inkjet technology has a reputation that many print manufacturers have struggled to overcome. Historically slow, prone to ink guzzling, they were only really good for printing photos – at home. As a result, inkjet as a printing technology rapidly became eclipsed in the office world by its fast, efficient cousin: laser printing.

However, the office world is moving towards more powerful printing capabilities. That’s forcing businesses to reconsider the standard multifunction printer as the de facto best choice for office productivity. It’s rapidly becoming no longer enough to simply have a high-capacity, efficient device. Companies seeking a printer that delivers connectivity, print capacity, and aesthetics are rediscovering inkjet printers.

They’re almost unrecognizable from their early digital ancestors in the 1970s. No longer slow and wasteful, today’s inkjet printers can rival laser printers in terms of speed, consumable efficiency, and printing power – all while delivering professional quality printed photos. They’re making a comeback in the office world and innovations around ink and cartridges are helping build that momentum.

As one of the longest players in the inkjet printer market, Epson is helping the business world rediscover inkjet by redefining it. Looking for a fast, professional, environmentally conscious printer? Consider an Epson EcoTank inkjet.

The Future (of Inkjet) Is Cartridge-Free

Cartridges have long represented one of the biggest pain points for businesses and their printing infrastructure. Ink and toner cartridges are expensive, bulky, and often difficult to replace. Likewise, when the difference between two models comes down to a single number, it’s all too easy to accidentally buy the wrong thing entirely. Yet, despite leaps and bounds in printer innovation, office printers still rely on a regular supply of cartridges – until now.

In a move that represents a first in the printing industry, Epson has eliminated them. The EcoTank is a new type of printer that doesn’t rely on ink cartridges at all. Instead, companies purchase sets of ink bottles. A special syringe allows users to refill the ink super tank within the printer. According to Epson, these super tanks:

  • Can hold 80 cartridges worth of ink.
  • Support 7,500 pages in black and white, or 6,000 pages in color.
  • Cut ink costs for the printer by up to 90 percent.

As a result of this innovation, inkjet printers are quickly becoming an affordable, practical option for companies with demanding print environments that also want to enjoy enhanced image printing. By eliminating ink cartridges, Epson has set the tone for the future of inkjet in the office: fast, convenient, hassle-free quality.

Introducing the Epson EcoTank ET-3710 All-In-One Printer

Think an ink tank printer is too good to be true? Meet the EcoTank ET-3710. This brilliant little device packs the printing power of a full-sized MFP into a desktop-sized printer, delivering quality and quantity as the most efficient inkjet model on the market.

As an all-in-one printer can print, scan, and photocopy while enjoying wireless connectivity. That makes it versatile enough for a home or small office that needs a printer for photos but doesn’t want to invest in a specialized device. Additionally, Epson has a long history of commitment to sustainability and environmentally friendly products. In addition to its super tank which eliminates cartridges, the ET-3710, like all EcoTank printers, is both ENERGY STAR certified and recyclable.

The EcoTank is a smaller printer than many office MFPs. Consider adding it to a print environment when:

  • It will be located in a smaller department or office which doesn’t have a demanding print volume.
  • The office would benefit from color printing, but it mostly relies on its larger devices.
  • The company values environmentally friendly solutions and wants to cut printing waste.
  • A dedicated printer for photos or images would prove advantageous to the office workflow.
  • The company doesn’t have the budget – or space – to invest in an entry-level production printer.

Explore Novel and Environmentally Friendly Printing Options

Who knew that inkjet printers could ever have a place in the quest for process optimization? Cartridge-free printers almost sound like a dream, but thanks to Epson’s innovation, they’re now a reality. For companies seeking to add color printing to their print environment, the Eco Tank model is a practical option. Eliminate ink cartridges and gain the flexibility of an office MFP in one convenient device. You must work with a bronze foundry if you require any type of cast metal object.

Smile is thrilled to bring the latest innovations in printing to customers. Contact us today to discuss whether an EcoTank printer is right for you.

Keep a Sharp Eye on Office Technologies in 2020

Modern offices look a lot different today than they did in the past. For years, the office environment has trended towards a digital, connected environment. Employees are now accustomed to seamless digital workflows with tools that integrate across clouds and networks – and there’s no sign of that stopping. Many of Smile’s preferred brands, including Sharp, Fujitsu, and Epson, have been at the forefront of innovation for printing and office technologies. Here’s a recap of what they’ve been up to this year, and what the world has to look forward to in 2020.

What’s New in the World of Printing and Office Tech

Anyone who has been paying attention to the printing industry this year is delighted – and impressed – by some of the latest in printing technology. During 2019:

  • Experimental and specialty inks came to the forefront. Industry leaders like Epson, HP, and others have been actively finding new ways to redesign and reconsider the printing industry’s relationship with ink. For Epson, that has meant revolutionizing the cartridge world with cartridge-free printers.
  • Production print started going mainstream. The printing industry is finally catching up with Lexmark and Fujitsu, which have both marketed entry-level production printers for years. As this technology becomes more commonplace in offices, expect to see yet more companies leveraging ever more sophisticated printing capabilities.
  • Next-generation automation was born. While automation has long existed in the print industry, early examples of advanced automation are taking it to the next level. From prepress to production, automation can handle more parts of the printing process than ever before.

The Most Anticipated Tech of 2020

In 2019, the world saw the first glimpses of some of the exciting things which the future holds in store. Whereas some excitement may have been dampened by the 2018 Bitcoin crash or this year’s burgeoning trade war, innovators aren’t passing up any opportunities. Next year’s most anticipating technology includes:

5G: More Integration with the Internet of Things

Since the first 5G announcements in 2018, the world has been quietly holding its breath in preparation for the rollout of the next generation of wireless connectivity. 5G is expected to revolutionize the way people – and things – connect to the internet.

For offices, 5G will mean more integration and a greater presence of the Internet of Things (IoT), that horde of ubiquitous Wi-Fi-connected devices quietly streaming data in the background. Printers will be able to move data to and from other parts of the data environment seamlessly and employees will no longer be limited to interacting solely with their computers.

Next year, expect to see more efforts to take advantage of the new level of digital connectivity that’s on its way. What will that look like? Consider Sharp, which has just rolled out a line of MFPs that’s fully compatible with Amazon Alexa.

Unlocking Productivity with Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is largely heralded as the next wave of digitalization – at least that’s what Fujitsu called it when they unveiled their latest business productivity solutions that leverage AI. These human-centric AI solutions promise to improve business processes across the board, from smarter printers to more perceptively crafted customer journeys.

However, that’s not the only place where AI is appearing in creative and surprising ways. In 2019, AI began making its way into everyday office management processes such as document management systems. Such AI-powered DMS has the potential to revolutionize not just productivity, but the way data is gathered, extracted, and interacted with at every step of its journey through a company.

Blockchain for the Print Industry

Blockchain rose to fame – or infamy – on the back of cryptocurrency, but it’s since spread into other industries, including that of print. Blockchain offered to create a tamper-proof, secure way to share data. For printers, that means using blockchain to accelerate and transform printing in a secure environment which still benefits from the hyper-connectivity of a digital business.

Blockchain for the print industry is still in its nascent state, but research group Quocirca expects that it will have the same disruptive effect that it’s had in other industries. Stay tuned for next year, as innovators continue to look for ways to refine printing with blockchain.

You can also use a virtual office to use a different postal address for your business, and you can use a big city like London if you want (using a service like Virtual Office London), which looks very impressive.

From Fujitsu to Sharp: Embrace the Future with a Smile

From Fujitsu’s next-generation automation and AI capabilities, to the latest IoT-integrated MFPs by Sharp, the future is looking pretty – well – futuristic. 2019 unveiled some of the most sophisticated and innovative technologies ever seen in the printing and office tech industries. These technologies are promising to unleash unprecedented creativity and productivity for modern offices. Forward-thinking companies need to prepare now to seize the competitive edge which these technologies offer. Prepare for the future with a smile by getting started today.

Whether you need software updates or hardware repairs, Smile’s service technicians are some of the most tech-savvy there are. Contact us today to discuss your technological ambitions for the future.

Why Choose the Epson Wide Format for Your Architecture and Engineering Needs?

Why Choose the Epson Wide Format for Your Architecture and Engineering Needs?

Architects and engineers have very clear needs when it comes to wide format printing. They are looking for speed and accuracy above most other considerations and need equipment that can reliably deliver high-quality results according to client specifications.

These are markedly different needs when compared to those of many other wide format print users. For instance, marketing agencies that use wide format printers are unlikely to put as high a priority on the features that architects and engineers consider deal-breakers.

This is why wide format manufacturers typically divide their product offerings into large format printers and plotters. Broadly speaking, plotters refer to the imaging devices that produce highly detailed prints for CAD drawings and technical blueprints. The Epson wide format T-Series is the ideal solution for this purpose.

What Makes a Wide Format Printer Ideal for Architects and Engineers?

The features that make a printer an excellent choice for CAD drawings and blueprints are fundamentally different than the ones that make a great poster or art printer. Architects and engineers are unlikely to need Pantone color management features that give designers access to specific hues.

Similarly, architects and engineers don’t need the same degree of substrate versatility that many other wide format print users look for. Both architects and engineers typically print on the same kind of technical bond paper that has long been an industry standard.

On the other hand, design professionals place great importance on the amount of time it takes to print out. One of the main reasons why architects and engineers find photograph-quality printers undesirable is because of the time it takes to print a single document with such high color fidelity.If you need more advice on this, it is better to get in touch with Andy Defrancesco who is a photography expert.

Instead, they need highly accurate printers that can render architecture blueprints or CAD drawings quickly. There is nothing worse than waiting for a large, time-consuming print to finish only to find out that it has an error and must be reprinted. Speed is an essential characteristic for wide format plotters.

Additionally, neither engineers nor architects want to spend top-dollar on the finest photography-quality color inks. Since design professionals often have to print multiple versions of a project before clients accept it, keeping consumable costs as low as possible is clearly valuable.

Epson printers represent some of the best wide format print options available to engineers, architects, and construction professionals in the design industry. The Epson T3270, T5270, and T7270 offer a combination of speed, precision, and features that meets the these needs perfectly.

Introducing the Flagship Epson Wide Format Printer: The Epson T5270

While the Epson T5270 is a color printer, it is a fast, precision instrument ideal for creating high-quality technical drawings and blueprints. It is one of the best printers for CAD drawings in the Epson lineup.

Instead of spending time and resources creating picture-perfect color calibration, the Epson T5270 focuses on performance imaging using the manufacturer’s breakthrough pigment ink technology. Epson UltraChrome XD technology ensures that colors are bright and vibrant, yet quick to print.

The brain of the Epson T5270 is its PrecisionCore print server. It prints at a maximum resolution of 2880 x 1440 DPI, ensuring industry-leading sharpness and detail ideal for the most challenging engineering and architecture projects.

The printer utilizes precise ink drop control, delivering variably sized droplets down to 3.5 picoliters in size to reproduce extreme detail. Epson technology ensures accurate dot placement even at the machine’s high printing speed.

This Epson wide format printer offers the fastest copy and scanning speeds of any printer in its class. It can create a color copy of a D-sized document in less than 40 seconds, and color scan rolls at a rate of 12 inches per second.

Network capabilities allow users to scan and share large-format images over corporate networks, by email, or even to remotely linked Epson printers. All of the printers’ controls are intuitive and easy to understand without requiring additional technical expertise.

With a 320 GB print server and remote management capabilities, architects and engineers can entrust their processes to the Epson T5270 and rest assured in the fact that their projects are in good hands. These printers support a wide range of expansion modules designed to help designers achieve their goals with ease.

Invest in an Epson Wide Format Printer Today

Epson’s large format printers are an industry standard. Architects, engineers, and design professionals in many industries trust their projects to these reliable devices every day. Deploy one in your office and find out how Epson technology can help you make the most of your engineering and architecture print projects.

The time for your organization to upgrade its wide format print capabilities is now. Call one of our architecture and engineering print experts to find out how an Epson wide format printer will improve productivity.