REMANUFACTURED PRINTERS
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Increasing demand With sustainability expected to become more of a corporate priority, it is anticipated that demand for remanufactured printers will continue to grow in the next 12-18 months. “We know that businesses are juggling a number of priorities, but sustainability is going to remain on the agenda and resurge in importance, as they accommodate staff expectations and national legislation,” says Craig. “As the only process that makes a meaningful impact in lowering carbon emissions, remanufacturing will be core to the print sector’s circular initiatives. “Our role, from our remanufacturing base in Ruabon, North Wales, is to help partners have better conversations with customers about their print lifecycle and make it as easy as possible for them to adopt a more forward-thinking approach.” Richard adds that Epson expects demand to continue growing, particularly as organisations face budget pressure, sustainability targets and regulatory scrutiny around waste and emissions. “Public sector and education customers are likely to remain strong drivers, but commercial businesses are increasingly exploring refurbished options as part of broader ESG strategies,” he says. “As circular economy thinking becomes more embedded and OEM-backed refurbishment programmes mature, remanufactured printers are likely to move from a niche option to a mainstream consideration in procurement decisions over the next year and beyond.” n
has increased due to a decreasing volume of pages being printed. Therefore, there is a clear opportunity to keep equipment in use for longer either by extending its life with the original customer or redeploying it following refurbishment. “There are still misconceptions in the market that refurbished means ‘older’ or ‘less reliable’. Education is key: with the right messaging and assurances, resellers can demonstrate that remanufactured devices are a credible and responsible choice for modern workplaces.” Craig adds that customers are demanding that remanufactured products are included in certain tenders. “So resellers that are partnering with vendors they can trust to support that and meet customers’ needs are at an advantage,” he says. “In particular, managed print services are becoming an essential tool here, ensuring free returns for consumables to be remanufactured and reporting on CO2 savings positively contribute to firms’ circular economy commitments. “But there’s still an important education conversation that print partners can have to address misconceptions, particularly around quality. Remanufactured products are exactly the same high standards as new ones, and customers wouldn’t be able to tell a ‘new’ consumable or device and a remanufactured one apart. This is a conversation that needs to be as part of a broader mindset shift to move from recycling to re-use – an essential step if the UK is to meet its net-zero targets.”
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Public sector and education customers are likely to remain strong drivers, but commercial businesses are increasingly exploring refurbished options as part of broader ESG strategies.
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