01732 759725 36 REMANUFACTURING working towards a circular economy they can come to us. We provide remanufactured consumable units for Konica Minolta, Develop and Olivetti devices as well as select Lexmark, Canon and Ricoh models. All parts are tested and all work is carried out in our UK head office,” McIntyre added. Eco-Direct The latest offering from PCL Direct is its Eco-Direct range of remanufactured devices. “We were already producing quality remanufactured components for predominantly Konica Minolta devices, and we thought why stop there? So, we decided to look at renovating and upcycling used copiers and MFPs,” Ellis said. “Building on what we were already doing in terms of remanufacturing components, it made sense to take that a step further and recondition used devices that still have lots of life yet such as ones that have been superseded by new models or replaced as part of a fleet refresh, and that signalled the launch of the Eco-Direct brand,” he added. PCL Direct first started the process pre-pandemic and has since then evolved the practice. “We went on a journey, learned along the way and changed the remanufacturing processes. We are now at a point where we are very confident in the value of this product line, so much so that we offer a full six-month parts warranty on every EcoDirect device,” Ellis explained. Greener solution In line with PCL Direct’s approach to remanufacturing consumables and cartridges, the Eco-Direct refurbishment process is both thorough and quality controlled. “It’s important to note that these machines are not that old, we focus on models that have superseded with a new range say two or three years ago. Most devices are under contract for a three to five year period and have a lifetime of 1 million prints. But often fleet refreshes take place well before that. We typically take in devices with between 150-300,000 prints which have a lot of life left in them, what we won’t do is put a machine with 600,000+ prints on the meter through the process,” Ellis said. Ellis explains that the reason they can cost-effectively upcycle used devices is that they already remanufacture all of the consumable items. Devices that meet the criteria are completely stripped back down to the frame and all moving parts are replaced. Even the outer panels get a respray. “The end result is a machine that looks brand new. We apply the latest software and firmware upgrades, put new stickers on it and reset the meter to zero. Upcycling reduces plastic, chemical waste, pollution and energy resources and gives perfectly usable products a second life. “What’s more an Eco-Direct MFP provides dealers with the opportunity to offer customers a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative which can in many sectors open doors. We're helping dealers win business and get into areas of commerce that they would normally not be able to,” he added. To date, PCL Direct has refurbished about 500 machines but Ellis says that he expects to ramp up production significantly. “Eco-Direct has been really well received by the dealer channel and expanding in this area is a key growth area for the business. We have not been able to grow as quickly as we anticipated as supply chain challenges around sourcing new devices obviously impacted the influx of used machines coming in from dealers. “We're really happy with the standard of product that we've reached, we've thoroughly tested production capability and speed and what we're able to achieve, and now we're looking to expand that production rate.” PCL Direct currently specialises in Konica Minolta models. The current offering includes upcycled 25, 30, 36, 45, 55 and 65 ppm Konica Minolta A3 colour MFPs and the company intends to expand its offering adding other OEM devices including Ricoh to its roster. www.pcl-direct.com the first 12 months within the warranty period and then they will switch. But I think COVID has turned everything upside down, dealers have seen a drop in revenues I’d say 30 to 40 per cent which in turn means that the company’s overall GDP has declined. So, I think they are now looking for an alternative to help increase the profitability of the business. The second thing is the supply chain challenges have impacted the OEMs who have turned to remanufacturers for help sourcing product – so what message is that giving to the dealers? “From our perspective, we are working with OEM cartridges and making an OEM version. As I said earlier, we control the entire process and operate to the highest quality standards. If what we produced didn’t do what it is supposed to do, we wouldn’t still be in business.” PCL Direct effectively closes the loop, it offers a collection service, customers receive a waste collection certificate, used cartridges are sent to a specialist company and come back to them as a clean unit where they are remanufactured and sold for re-use, then the cycle starts again. The same thing applies to machine parts. “So, if a dealer wants to promote continued... Ian MacIntyre 20 23 GOLD SPONSOR Device Management Solution of the Year and Best Workflow Solution
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