Epson Says it will Quit Selling Laser Printers by 2026

Epson Says it will Quit Selling Laser Printers by 2026

Epson says it will stop selling and distributing laser printers due to sustainability issues caused by heating.

In its statement, the printer OEM, which ranks third in the world behind HP and Canon, stated it “will transition fully to inkjet printers and end global sales and distribution of laser printers by 2026.”

“Inkjet technology can reduce energy consumption compared to laser, and with a compact footprint and a lightweight design, these products help limit resources used during production and shipping,” Epson said.

Epson also said its new inkjet printers help limit resources used during production and shipping, and that high-yield ink cartridges reduce material usage, shipping and storage requirements.

Furthermore, Epson said inkjets utilize fewer moving and consumable parts over their lifetime compared to lasers. This, the company claims, substantially reduces service and maintenance needs, resulting in less printer downtime, improved productivity and heightened end-user satisfaction.

It’s unclear how consumers and businesses will react to Epson’s decision to focus solely on inkjets moving forward. One also has to wonder if the pandemic didn’t have something to do with the company’s shift in strategy.

As an August 2021 report from IDC highlights, pages printed using laser declined 16 percent year over year in 2020 due to the impact of lockdowns and the shift to working remotely. In contrast, pages printed using inkjet printers increased by four percent during the same period.

According to The Register, Epson had already stopped selling laser printers in many markets but continued doing so in Asia and Europe.

New Range of 40-60 PPM Business Inkjet Printers. 

Reaffirming its full commitment to inkjet printing, Epson has launched its new WorkForce Enterprise AM-Series of 40-60ppm products leveraging its Piezo Heat-Free inkjet technology and closing a previous gap in its A3 business product portfolio.

The new products bring static line-head technology to the mid-range speed market and for Epson’s channel partners will simplify the sales process, ensuring end users have the best product fit while still addressing the sustainability agenda.

Gareth Jay, Epson Europe says: “The new WorkForce Enterprise AM-Series completes our business inkjet line up from small work-group units to high-speed departmental machines – meaning that no matter the business function or print demand, we have a product to suit. With a full range of support from Managed Print Services, Workflow and Remote Service solutions, these products enable a low maintenance, high quality, reliable, sustainable print system.”

More about the new range:

• Most compact footprint in class and significantly reduced weight
• C-shaped paper feed reduces the chance of paper jams and improves reliability
• 10.1-inch interface panel – smarter and more intuitive with eco-print settings
• Simple and easy to use with auto paper size detection and soft-closing paper cassettes
• Easy loading, compact high-capacity ink cartridges
• High capacity paper handling – up to 5150 sheets
• Reduce downtime – Designed for easy internal access and quick and efficient routine maintenance
• 60ppm / 120 ipm scan capability and optional embedded OCR feature
• Inner finisher – compact and space-saving to compile and staple documents. Also available with an optional hole punch
• Attachable booklet outer finisher – to provide stapling, hole punching, envelope printing, saddle stitching, and centre and tri-folding

Related:

• Epson India Raids Counterfeits
• Epson to Focus on Heat-free Inkjet Printing Only
• Dye & Pigment Ink for Epson TX Series
• Epson Releases New Wide-format Dye-sublimation Printers
• Epson to Expand Printhead Production in Akita
• New Additions to Epson WorkForce Series

Comment:

Please add your comments below about this news story, “Epson Says it will Quit Selling Laser Printers by 2026.”