ORIGINAL & GENUINE

&genuine Original

With many office-based businesses taking a careful look at costs, it can be tempting to save money and buy non-OEM consumables for printers and copiers - but this could be a false economy

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s more people return to the office after the end of lockdown restrictions, traditional office expenses, such as consumables for printers and copiers, are on the rise again. With many businesses in a range of sectors still recovering from the financial effects of the pandemic, keeping costs down is critical. With this in mind, some office managers may look to buy non-branded consumables, rather than ones from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

However, as Louise Unsworth, business unit manager at Brother UK, explains, this could prove to be a false economy and there are very good reasons for purchasing OEM consumables. “OEM consumables are designed specifically for the machines they are intended for to offer users the best performance from their printers – the key selling point for dealers when speaking to customers,” she says.

“Compatibles have a lower face value cost but genuine supplies last longer, need replacing less often and offer a lower total cost of ownership; they also produce far superior print yields. Independent testing of Brother Genuine supplies showed that they deliver 57% more pages than non-genuine cartridges, which is helping to keep workers printing and more productive.

“Non-genuine toners were also shown to impact drum yield, leading to more productivity-sapping breakdowns. Fewer drum changes means that Brother Genuine supplies are more sustainable, because not only are fewer cartridges thrown away, but fewer need to be produced.

“Reliability and security are key factors when it comes to making decisions on what consumables to buy. Brother Genuine supplies for our SMB range are Smithers PIRA accredited, which means that they’re guaranteed to be tamper-proof and guarantee that independent testing has been conducted against known methods used by criminals to commit fraud.”

ADVICE

Louise adds that dealers should be careful in the advice they give to customers on buying OEM consumables. “While it’s vital to support a business in optimising its expenditure, this shouldn’t come at the expense of reliable, secure and sustainable solutions that can help a firm boost its productivity,” she says. “Dealers have a significant opportunity to support their customers in creating more resilient and productive tech infrastructure as they adapt to the new world of work, and consumables should play an important part in those conversations. They can also help their customers have a positive impact on the environment, with our Welsh factory ensuring that there is zero waste to landfill and making the cartridges carbon neutral.”

Louise points out that the advantages that OEM consumables deliver are part of what makes managed print services (MPS) preferable to procuring tech and supplies individually. “MPS monitors usage round the clock and orders supplies automatically to make sure businesses never run out of ink or toner. This reduces downtime and cuts out the hassle of ordering consumables and, combined with their quality, gives customers peace of mind in their print function.”

SUSTAINABILITY

Michele Mabilia, head of product marketing at Kyocera Document Solutions (U.K.) Ltd, agrees that, when choosing managed print contracts, it is key to consider not just the price, but additional important aspects such as quality and sustainability. “A recent comparative test we carried out shows how original manufacturer toners consistently reach 100% of the indicated yield, while compatibles, on average,

Reliability and security are key factors when it comes to making decisions on what consumables to buy

COP26 must act as a reminder that we all have a role to play in tackling climate change

reached only 80%,” he says. “Non-original toners can cause damages to the fuser and invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty too.”

Michele adds that the company also offers a returns service for all used, genuine Kyocera toner cartridges, which are then recycled – something other OEMs offer too. “This means empty toners don’t go to landfill; they are used to produce brand new materials for a variety of products.”

Boris Manev, head of sustainability and government affairs at Epson Europe, also believes that print quality and sustainability of consumables are important considerations when buying. “Eco efficiency is one of the most important reasons why dealers should make sure they’re selling original consumables,” he says. “At Epson we ensure that the entire lifecycle of our products is focused on being as sustainable as possible, and we endeavour to align with the UN’s sustainability development goals which are intrinsic to our different functions and practices in the UK and around the world.

“This level of ‘lifecycle thinking’ impacts the materials we use, how they are produced, how they are transported and, ultimately, how they can be reused. In the case of ink cartridges, the key consideration begins with a production process focused on global warming prevention, continues with the elimination of emissions and the control of chemical substances, and ends with a collection system that ensures the safe return of empty cartridges to Epson.

“Conversely, non-genuine cartridges are predominantly manufactured in areas of the globe with some of the highest carbon footprints in the manufacturing world, and are often imported into Europe with no collection or recycling schemes in place. COP26 must act as a reminder that we all have a role to play in tackling climate change, and if dealers are to play their increasingly important part then they must consider carefully the eco credentials of the consumables they sell.”