Print IT Reseller - issue 124

01732 759725 14 BULLETIN ETIRA demands stronger enforcement The European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) has issued an urgent warning to European buyers. From July to November 2024, ETIRA reviewed approx. 50 new non-OEM toner and remanufactured OEM cartridges across Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Romania, Spain, and Italy. ETIRA investigations revealed that new non-OEM cartridges are high risk and often blatantly illegal. 75% of these products fail to meet EU standards, with only 8% fully compliant. In contrast, remanufactured OEM cartridges performed significantly better, with 85% meeting most or all regulations. These findings echo ETIRA’s product tests performed in the past, which showed new non-OEM toner cartridges often failed hazardous chemical checks, including decaBDE and toner emissions. These products endanger public health, the environment and legitimate businesses. ETIRA is taking decisive action by reporting violations to national market surveillance authorities and exposing buyers of non-compliant products. www.etira.org A new narrative for print In September 2024, the IPIA announced its pivotal national print research and advocacy project with research agency, Madano, utilising groundbreaking digital data acquisition and analysis technology. Capturing the research results, gathered over a 12-month period covering over 12,000 data points, has provided an accurate, detailed picture of how the print industry is truly perceived by consumers and key print buying markets across a range of critical metrics: from effectiveness, trust and sustainability, through to the role of print within multi-channel marketing campaigns. A new white paper distils the key findings of the research – an important example being how trust in print as a communications and marketing medium is very high among consumers and results in high engagement rates and positive sentiment towards the medium. Part of a long-term transformative project for the industry, the aim of the initiative is to permanently shift the perception of print across an end-user and consumer audience. The IPIA is working in partnership with its members Citipost Mail, Imprint MIS, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Epson and The Printing Charity to drive this important project forward. Ricoh has announced its support of the New Narrative for Print initiative. Tim Carter, Commercial Print Director at Ricoh UK Graphic Communications said: “We are really proud to be part of this exciting project, and it’s forming part of our commitment and focus. We believe print delivers a different, emotive outcome; it makes things happen; it enables decisions to be made. Print still remains unique in terms of its resilience, its permanence and trust. Ricoh continues to advocate, innovate and invest in print as we believe it will remain an important part of the communication mix in the future.” Phil McMullin, Head of Sales (Commercial and Industrial) at Epson UK, stressed the importance of shaking up the view of print: “Print is an innovative and sustainable business with a great future; important to the UK manufacturing industry both in terms of profit and the number of people employed. It’s clear to us at Epson that the future of the print industry relies on us being able to attract young people into the industry. “We need to get the message about print across through education – getting the right information cascaded down to the right people, who make the decisions. If we can change how end-users perceive print as creative, innovative and sustainable, that’s going to be a good thing for everybody.” www.ipia.org.uk PCL Direct supports 2024 MTV Awards PCL Direct Group supported the prestigious 2024 MTV Awards held at the Co-op Live Arena, in Manchester, by providing sustainable printing solutions in the build-up to the event and during the Awards Show. PCL Direct provided nine A3 full colour MFPs complete with finishers, and six A4 format full colour devices from its Eco Direct recycled and re-engineered multifunctional printer range which are produced at its remanufacturing operations in Nuneaton. The Eco Direct machines were installed in the media centre and various offices, in both the arena and the adjoining Tennis Centre, and were required to print off scripts, day-to-day communications and press information - even the hair and makeup team had an A4 colour MFP at their disposal - with around 90,000 prints and copies produced over the week. PCL Direct Senior Technician, Darren Turner, managed the installation and ongoing maintenance of the machines for the duration of the week-long build-up of the MTV Awards and on the day of the spectacular Awards ceremony itself. Turner has an in-depth knowledge of the range and was on hand from 9am until after 8.30pm for the first four days of the initial build-up, regularly trekking between each department in both centres, to check and maintain the equipment. www.pcl-direct.com (l-r) Andrew Ellis, Dave Higgott and Darren Turner

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUxNDM=