Lexmark Canada is looking to deliver a new standard of value and performance to small and medium businesses with the launch of its latest colour and monochrome laser printers.Technology that existed with higher-end single function monochrome lasers is now filtering down to entry level monochrome lasers, bringing with it the productivity, functionality and capability SMBs are demanding, according to Andrew Kiss, marketing and communications manager for Lexmark’s business product division.
Lower cost
The major differentiators, added Kiss, are better price points, space saving and visually appealing designs.
The new E series line-up, which are based on products released last year, includes the E240/ 240n with a start price of $249 and speeds of up to 27 pages-per-minute (ppm).
The focus for the entry-level mono lasers is to increase speed by improving the processing power to accommodate today’s more complicated applications, said Kiss.
Another goal was to increase ease of use for those small businesses with no IT support.
Enchanced functions
On the more powerful E340/342n, Lexmark added a two-line LCD operator panel to
help users understand the printer’s commands. These units have a starting price
of $499.
“This year and beyond is representing a plateau of growth for entry level monochrome lasers, but there is still a tremendous opportunity with approximately 300,000 units being sold every year in Canada,” said Kiss.
Additional enhancements to the new product line include an improved driver interface with more graphics, and integrated Web management such as e-mail status alerts, change settings and supply status views.
Lexmark has 18 to 20 per cent of the monochrome market share, said IDC Canada analyst Brad Hughes, far behind Hewlett-Packard.
Hughes attributes that to “their brand struggle.”
“They’ve always been viewed as the low cost alternative, especially in the inkjet arena where they made their reputations,” he said.
But Lexmark is doing a good job putting out solid laser products that meet buyer’s needs, Hughes said, and so as they improve that quality they’re going to improve the brand as well.
New in colour
In colour lasers, the company is bringing out the C520 family of printers with colour and monochrome speeds of up to 20 ppm.
Lexmark’s sales volumes are doubling in this category, and Kiss expects strong growth to continue in the next several years.
“We’re almost at 50,000 units a year” in Canadian sales he added.
Lower cost is one main reason for the increase in sales, he said, but another is an increase in the use of colour in offices.
The 520C series has three models, with prices starting at $799.
These printers are the first colour lasers that Lexmark is offering with chemically-produced toner, said Kiss.
“We can now print more colours with better detail, fine lines with better definition and sharper images – overall it’s a better engine design.”
Lexmark is depending on the reseller channel to seed these products as quickly as possible.
As an initiative, “for one month from launch date (Oct. 24), we’ll be offering a bundle program consisting of a 240, 240n and 522n with very aggressive prices,” said Kiss.
Although the growth rate of multifunction printers exceeds that of single function monochrome lasers, Kiss said the sales volume is still greater in single function machines.