Dell, Canon, Ricoh, Xerox Debut on EPEAT Imaging Equipment Registry

Dell, Canon, Ricoh, Xerox Debut on EPEAT Imaging Equipment Registry

Canon, Dell, Ricoh and Xerox are the first manufacturers to have qualifying products listed in the new imaging equipment category of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, a global registry for greener electronics.

EPEAT, which already operates a registry for computers and displays, finalized standards for imaging equipment last June. EPEAT allowed manufacturers to begin the certification process for the imaging device registry in early December. The registry opened for public view Tuesday, according to EPEAT.
Other manufacturers will join the imaging equipment registry shortly, according to spokesman Jonas Allen.
The registry covers products such as copiers, printers, scanners, digital duplicators, fax machines, mailing machines and multifunction devices.

Imaging devices on the EPEAT registry must meet at least 33 environmental performance criteria. Products can achieve higher ratings by meeting some or all of 26 additional criteria. EPEAT’s certifications are based on a self-declaration system, which is then backed by post-market verification.
Manufacturers must sign a contract requiring them to declare that their products meet system criteria, and must possess and produce evidence to support all declarations upon EPEAT’s request.
EPEAT’s environmental rating program for electronic products is used by eight national governments, including the US. In the US, many local and state governments as well as universities base their purchasing decisions on the rating system.

The organization was surrounded by controversy last summer when Apple withdrew its Macbook Pro with Retina display from the registry, and then reinstated it, leading to speculation that tough disassembly was behind Apple’s withdrawal from the standard.

In October, EPEAT verified that the Macbook Pro with Retina display met its standards. At the time, EPEAT said all ultrathin devices listed in its registry, including notebooks from Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba. met the organization’s environmental criteria.

Xerox Signs $53 Million Print Contract

Xerox Creates Data Centers, Secure Cloud-Based IT Infrastructure for Texas Under $848 Million Contract

Company Will Also Support Printing of State Documents

DALLAS – Xerox (NYSE: XRX) will make it possible for the state of Texas to create secure cloud-based services for citizens by modernizing and consolidating its data centers. The upgrade will be one of the largest projects of its kind in the country.

Under an $848 million, eight-year contract, Xerox will help the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) streamline IT operations of state agencies by refreshing technology and combining operations from 28 separate facilities to two centralized data centers. The transformation will reduce the cost of running multiple data centers, and improve security and disaster recovery capabilities.

“This project is about making the best use of taxpayer dollars,” said Karen Robinson, DIR executive director. “The new data center services project will stabilize services for our state agency customers, improve responses to state agency needs and allow visibility into system costs so that agencies can manage their use of services for increased efficiency.”

Xerox’s partners on the IT consolidation project include a number of Texas firms designated as Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs), as well as technology market leaders. By committing to deliver the services in Texas, Xerox and its partners will provide and sustain more than 500 jobs in the state.

Separately, DIR awarded Xerox a six-year, $53 million contract to continue its printing and mailing services that support a number of state agencies. Xerox prints more than 240 million pages annually, including notices, vehicle titles and Workers’ Compensation documents.

“These two contracts amplify our commitment to helping clients simplify their processes through innovation and operational excellence,” said Lynn Blodgett, president, Services Business, Xerox. “As a company with deep roots in Texas and a long history of helping state agencies, this is an opportunity to create a more efficient government.”

Manage what you measure

Manage what you measure




A print management strategy allows businesses to control expenses by outsourcing management of the printer fleet. The usage-based, outsourced model ensures they only pay for the prints they use and, best of all, there is no capital expenditure required since the agreement is to manage the existing fleet.



Companies cannot manage what they cannot measure. A managed print services strategy should begin with a comprehensive assessment of the current situation to uncover the total cost of ownership (TCO) of your office printing. This assessment provides both a baseline, to measure improvement, and a snapshot of the current situation to discover opportunities to improve. Ascertaining the current situation also gives organisations a benchmark against which to measure the effectiveness of their programme.



Proactively managing printers also enables companies to introduce carbon footprint reduction strategies. Reducing paper use not only reduces the volume of trees consumed, but also helps offset the rising cost of printer paper. There are several means of reducing paper use, including duplex printing and electronic forms among many others.



Some companies are concerned that optimised printing will negatively impact productivity. But a properly implemented managed print strategy boosts productivity. At the most basic level, employees face less distraction from printers that are broken or out of toner. Unlike most IT departments that simply respond to broken systems, a preventative maintenance strategy combined with an automatic supply restocking programme ensures your fleet is operating consistently. Re-deploying the right systems to high-volume locations can also enhance productivity.



Perhaps the biggest cost savings can be found in a more productive IT department. IT resources are costly and it doesn't make sense to use them to fix mechanical devices such as printers. Instead of fielding calls from frustrated users with printer issues, IT employees can focus on core initiatives like security and new software deployments.