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01282 776 776 Midwich


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[ ] BROTHER HL-4040CN


SRP: £339.58 DISTRIBUTOR: Midwich


THEY SAY: One of the most secure in its class, ensuring that unsecured data passing over the network cannot be accessed by other users


FEATURES: Laser printer, prints up to 20 pages per minute, optional high-yield toner, power save function, mono and colour, print resolution of up to 2400 x 600 DPI, wired network ready


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Largely responsible for the proliferation of PCs in business, the printer has remained a true workhorse of the IT market. Matt Grainger looks at developments in the sector and some of the newest products...


“The market is definitely moving towards a ‘managed print solution’ mindset, with the emphasis on keeping spiralling print costs


under close control.” Andrew Barker, Midwich


THE PRINTER market is an invaluable part of the IT industry and, due to their popularity of these devices in offices and homes around the world, the sector is extremely competitive and highly reliant on price point as a differentiator. The end result of this has been that


many vendors – with a few notable exceptions – now offer their devices at cost or on very slim margins in the hope of recouping losses by charging higher prices on consumables. However, this strategy has not


proved to be exceptionally successful. Recent figures from the market researcher Context show that in the UK the printer market has declined by 5.8 per cent, which was attributed to ongoing concerns about the economy and the general desire to reduce overheads.


www.pcr-online.biz This desire is reflected in the


performance of individual categories. Shipments of inkjet and all-in-one inkjet devices declined by 16.2 per cent and 11.7 per cent respectively, while all- in-one laser printers grew by 46.2 per cent. Dedicated laser printers saw growth of 28.1 per cent and shipments of multi-function devices increased by 61.6 per cent. Another new direction for the print


market is the growth of managed print services, as Midwich’s product marketing and PR coordinator, Andrew Barker notes. “The print market is definitely


moving towards a ‘managed print solution’ mindset, with the emphasis on keeping spiralling print costs under close control,” Barker told PCR. “Manufacturers and resellers that have a compelling managed print


solution will be well positioned for growth next year and beyond. It is also interesting to note that business-class and multifunction inkjet printers are now becoming an affordable option for small to medium sized businesses and home users that are mindful of the costs associated with consumables.” It is perhaps unsurprising that the


market is moving towards devices that offer lower overheads and management costs, as many people will have observed the same kind of drift in other categories. Despite this, the canny retailer or reseller will no doubt be sticking to the old adage “horses for courses”. What is right for one customer may not be best for another, and as always the trick to ensure repeat custom will be to ensure that the customer takes home a product that specifically meets their needs.


>>> January PCR 45


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