SUSTAINABLE INK
Louise Marshall direct of ESG and
organisational development
of its ink cartridges by more than 30%.
adds that it is vital for the channel to provide robust recycling programmes for consumables as customers strive to cut waste across their businesses. “Our free returns scheme, which we run through our Recycling Technology Centre in Ruabon, North Wales, assesses every toner returned to us for opportunities to re-use and replace components so we can restore them to their original condition,” she says. “This process saves approximately 5,300 tonnes of CO2 every year, and we’re seeing more partners and end user businesses get in touch to understand the potential for savings on waste and emissions. This demand for more sustainable solutions will only grow. “Vendors themselves need to ensure that they’re operating sustainably too to help customers lower the overall environmental impact of their supply chain. With our focus to cut carbon by 65% before 2030 and membership of the FTSE4Good Index – a select group of the world’s most environmentally and socially sustainable companies – we’re taking the lead on driving the sector forward.” Future Ink and ink cartridges will become ever more sustainable in years to come, adds Janis. “The manufacturers we work with are continuously working to advance their solutions,” he says. “It’s exciting to see the innovation in this space and we are proud to play a key role in distributing even more sustainable products in the market for years to come.” As this will go together with ever-more sustainable printers, resellers should be looking to capitalise on these advances and make it an integral part of conversations with customers, and especially look to incorporate them into subscription models.
Smart services With this trend for sustainability set to
brother.co.uk
accelerate in the coming years, Janis is clear on what resellers should be looking to offer in terms of ink packages to customers as part of a managed print service. “There are smart managed print services that can offer subscription-based services for the predictive auto-replenishment of supplies sent to end users’ printers before they run out,” he says. “That means resellers can engage with new and recurring business and offer value-added services without incurring large development or infrastructure costs, nor minimum commitment to vendors nor inventory or order management costs.” Subscription-based models may well be the future for this part of the sector, Janis adds. “Many customers still find the upfront cost to purchase sustainable printers high, especially if they are replacing a large fleet of them. Resellers can respond with innovative financing packages in a subscription model format, using Tech-as-a-Service (TaaS). “This way, customers have a monthly subscription, rather than rigid and high upfront costs. Flexible funding is a crucial part of TaaS, it allows for financing options to suit each client’s financial requirements. “Converting CAPEX into OPEX also appeals to organisations working within tight budgets and gives clearer control over their costs. As well as this, costs are made much more transparent for partners as they pay for what they need.” Recycling need Louise Marshall, director of ESG and organisational development at Brother UK,
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Our free returns scheme, which we run through our Recycling Technology Centre in Ruabon, North Wales, assesses every toner returned to us for opportunities to re-use and replace components so we can restore them to their original condition.
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