Last Year: Ricoh and IKON; Next Year HP and Canon? What the Heck?

"I've advocated some kind of [agreement] between Canon and HP, modeled off the Fuji-Xerox joint venture," suggested Don Dixon, research director at Gartner, "They have complementary product sets and complementary capabilities from a best practice sense. Canon needs distribution and the IT affiliation that HP brings to the marketplace. There's a good fit there. Whether Canon has the temerity for something like that is the question." - Image & Print Summit, 2008.

- Woah, Nelly!



While researching for my "Best Darn End of Year Article", I ran into the 10 Burning Questions In Print And Imaging over at the ChannelWeb site.

These questions reflect the hot topics at the Print and Imaging Summit from last week.

All ten questions and the associated answers are ripe with direct information and heavily sprinkled with inferred strategic directions. I recommend you go there, read and digest.

We all wonder how the the current economic woes will effect us, personally. As for Imaging and Print, Gartner Managing Vice President Peter Grant said, "...there are three areas that are going to be the lighthouses guiding you to the land of print cost savings -- smart MFPs, managed print services and software.

I understand his belief about Managed Print Services and can see the software angle, but define for me what exactly a "smart" MFP could be or is.

***UPDATE*** 12.17.08

Definition of a Smart MFP, SMFP:

" A regular MFP can print, fax, copy and scan paper documents. An SMFP can also be programmed by a third party, the user or the technology provider to perform custom functions; easily integrates with office and enterprise applications; is management-friendly, with consistent architecture and user interface; works well on the network; and is based largely on open industry standards. SMFPs can perform usage tracking and other functions that help organizations actively manage their office printer/MFP fleets."
-Source, Gartner.

Who are the Heavy Hitters in MPS?-

Specifically who are the players in the MPS arena and which ones are best positioned. At the Summit, Gartner Research Vice President Ken Weilerstein referenced the latest "Magic Quadrant" results stating Xerox and HP are the Leaders. IKON, Ricoh, Pitney Bowes, Lexmark, Canon and Toshiba are each mentioned in the "Qaudrant" report.

Regarding an advantage the smaller, niche players may have over "big" players, "They [niche] may provide more personalized service and be more accommodating to your needs than large vendors," Weilerstein said.

"I heard from one client who tried one of the big vendors that it took her five calls to get to the right person. It can be unwieldy."

But to me, the big questions revolved around the IKON/Ricoh deal and Canon's response.

What's To Become of Canon?-

One of the biggest print and imaging stories of 2008 was Ricoh's acquisition of Ikon Office Solutions back in August for approximately $1.61 billion. And you also remember Ikon provided more than $1 billion of Canon's systems in North America.

And according to reports from both Canon and Gartner, Canon is focused on expanding its national accounts, widening sales channels, more acquisitions and authorizing new Canon dealers to compensate for Ikon losses.

"For the most part, the Canon box and the Ricoh box at certain levels are doing pretty much the same thing," said Don Dixon, research director at Gartner, "If you're an Ikon customer holding Canon hardware, well, you're in a great position to renegotiate your agreement. Canon is in a precarious position at the moment."

What Will Be The Next Big Merger & Acquisition Event In The Space?-

As you can imagine, one of the big subjects discussed officially and around various watering holes are the implications of Ricoh's acquisition of Ikon.

There will be more M&A in 2009 as barely surviving firms run for cover from the current global recession.

"We've advocated that there are too many players," suggested Dixon, "Some are staying in the marketplace but don't necessarily offer anything unique that customers are really asking for. They've just always been there."

"Canon has a lot of money but is not showing well in managed print services -- their channels are getting attacked by their competitors," said Gartner Managing Vice President Peter Grant. "Ricoh is on a tear, moving forward -- it'll be interesting to see what Canon does now that it's back on the ropes."

"I've advocated some kind of [agreement] between Canon and HP, modeled off the Fuji-Xerox joint venture," added Dixon, "They have complementary product sets and complementary capabilities from a best practice sense. Canon needs distribution and the IT affiliation that HP brings to the marketplace. There's a good fit there. Whether Canon has the temerity for something like that is the question."

Could the above quote be an indicator of the "shape of things to come"?

I am not sure, but those guys over at Gartner seem to have had a pretty good grip on things thus far, perhaps the crystal balls have been polished.

Minority Report - Who Needs Paper?

And I really wanted is on of those cool glass, "whiteboards" but now...I want this.




I "lifted" this off of the Xerox

HP Offerings in Asia - Print Management Tools and Printers Aimed at Enterprise Customers

HP Introduces New Range of Imaging and Printing Devices and Tailored Solutions to Accelerate Business Results for Enterprise Customers

From SINGAPORE, via "Enhanced Online News":

December 03, 2008 02:30 AM Eastern Time

SINGAPORE--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--HP today announced its expanded portfolio of HP printers, imaging and printing devices, solutions and services to help enterprise customers boost productivity, security and environmental sustainability.

“The expanded imaging and printing portfolio features a robust line-up of targeted, cost-effective solutions with the right mix services and devices to enterprise customers, helping them achieve better business results.”

Building on HP’s leading position in enterprise imaging and printing, HP’s broadened portfolio comprises four specialized solutions, four assessment services, one HP LaserJet multifunction printer (MFP), three HP LaserJet printers and an HP Scanjet device.

According to IDC, HP is the leading provider of laser single and multifunction hardcopy peripherals shipped to Enterprises(1) in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) region, with 42% market share and strong double digit year-on-year growth (+13%)(2).

“HP is continuing its efforts to help enterprises build an Enterprise Print 2.0 plan as enterprises optimize their infrastructure, manage their environment and improve workflows,” said Pierre Mirlesse, Vice President, Enterprise Sales and Services, Imaging and Printing Group, HP Asia Pacific and Japan. “The expanded imaging and printing portfolio features a robust line-up of targeted, cost-effective solutions with the right mix services and devices to enterprise customers, helping them achieve better business results.”

Specialized solutions for enterprise customers

Tailoring solutions to meet specific industry needs, HP has added new enterprise solutions focused on customers in the healthcare and manufacturing and distribution industries. HP also introduced two imaging and printing solutions and four new assessment services that span industry sectors to address specific business needs for enterprises.

Designed to streamline information workflows, enhance security and help reduce costs, HP’s newest solutions offer customers industry-specific expertise with a single point of contact for simplified sales, service and support processes. These include:

* HP Document Capture for Admissions and Electronic Medical Records help reduce medical errors and boost patient safety. Designed to safely capture and protect patient medical information, these offerings let healthcare organizations utilize the latest HP healthcare technology to more easily comply with government mandates, including patient-privacy regulations.

* HP Automated Invoice Processing Solution allows businesses in the manufacturing and distribution industries to automate the value chain of invoice processing, from document capture and distribution across the organization to seamless integration with SAP. A joint HP and ReadSoft® solution, it captures data via an HP multifunction printer (MFP) and provides increased control over the invoice workflow to facilitate more rigorous records management and compliance; accelerated invoice payment process for better spending visibility; and improved invoice reconciliation through automated, business-rule driven processes.

* HP Assessment Services comprise five modules that capitalize on HP expertise and knowledge to allow enterprises additional control over print-related processes. With a range of assessment services, HP will collect, analyze and monitor printer-related activities, giving customers a current, fact-based account of the imaging and printing environment. The five new services are HP Industry Benchmark Assessment, HP Optimization Assessment, HP Managed Environment Assessment, HP Workflow Discovery and HP Eco Printing Assessment.

* HP Access Control Printing Solutions are designed to help mitigate security and compliance risks. These solutions, comprising HP Access Control Secure Printing Solution, HP Access Control Secure Pull Printing Solution and HP Access Control Job Accounting Solution, help control and protect access to imaging and printing devices and documents and also facilitate tracking and monitoring of the usage of documents.

* Updates to the award-winning HP Universal Print Driver (UPD) 4.7 empower end users to resolve issues themselves by providing real-time print job and device information. New features include the ability to choose between automatic or manual print queue configuration, allowing for pre-configuration and installation of a queue prior to physically connecting the device to the network. Businesses also benefit from a single, intelligent, feature-rich driver replacing many individual drivers, thereby making it easy to connect to HP LaserJet printing devices without downloading separate, product-specific drivers.

New line-up of imaging and printing devices to drive enterprise efficiency-

HP also introduced new printing devices and supplies to better assist customers in saving time and money and to increase efficiencies for enterprise and mid-sized businesses through printing and scanning devices. The new offerings include HP LaserJet mono, color single and multifunction (MFP) devices and an HP Scanjet.

* The HP Color LaserJet CM3530 MFP(3) is HP’s first legal-sized desktop Color LaserJet MFP that offers high performance in a space-saving, compact design. Fully equipped for seamless integration into a network environment, the user-friendly MFP has full document management and workflow capabilities, allowing for increased productivity within small work teams. The HP Color LaserJet CM3530 MFP and HP Color LaserJet CP3520 printer series come with HP’s improved HP ColorSphere toner, which helps customers produce professional-looking documents, marketing collateral and business-quality photos with consistent, true-to-life colors.

* HP Color LaserJet CP3520 Printer Series(4) is reliable for the general office and cost-effectively prints eye-catching color business communications and marketing collateral. Making color devices more affordable than ever, this series offers monochrome printing for the same cost per page as in-class monochrome laser printers(5).

* The compact HP LaserJet P2050 Printer Series(6) helps boost small work team productivity in enterprise and small to mid-size business environments with fast printing in black and white.

* The HP LaserJet P2030 Printer Series(7) offers fast black print speeds with flexible connectivity options and can produce a broad range of crisp business documents quickly using HP Instant-on Technology(8).

* In addition, HP expanded its document capture portfolio by introducing the HP Scanjet N6310 Document Flatbed Scanner(9). This versatile device can capture a variety of documents – including legal-size documents, business cards, photos and transparencies – at simplex speeds of up to 15 pages per minute (ppm). This easy-to-use scanner is ideal for businesses that need to digitize several types of office documents. The HP Scanjet N6310 also features powerful and intuitive software, effortlessly creating high-quality digitized files for archiving or sharing directly via email, and offers a simple task-based interface with dedicated one-touch scan and copy buttons to increase productivity.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, provides printing and personal computing products and IT services, software and solutions that simplify the technology experience for consumers and businesses. HP completed its acquisition of EDS on Aug. 26, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE:HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

(1) Refers to companies with employee sizes from 500+ onwards.

(2) Source: IDC Asia/Pacific Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker, 2Q2008.

(3) Products are available via contractual basis and may vary by markets in the region. Please contact the local HP representative or HP Approved Channel Partner for specific country pricing.

(4) Available in Asia Pacific with street prices ranging from US$599-US$1,299. Actual price and availability may vary by markets in region.

(5) Compared to HP LaserJet P3005 Printer series, using the HP Q7551X Black Print Cartridge. Yields established using ISO/IEC test standards. Actual yields and costs vary considerably depending on images printed, number of color pages printed and other factors.

(6) Available in Asia Pacific with street prices ranging from US$299-US$549. Actual price and availability may vary by markets in region.

(7) Expected to be available in January 2009 for purchase in Asia Pacific with street prices ranging from US$199-US$249. Actual price and availability may vary by markets in region.

(8) Instant-on Technology uses cutting-edge fuser technology to produce the first page faster when a printer is coming out of low power mode so print jobs are done sooner. An InfoTrends study shows the typical office print job is three to five pages long: www.infotrends.com/public/Content/Presentations/officeprinteruse.pdf. Time to Completion of a typical office print job tested on HP and select competing products. Actual results may vary.

(9) Available in Asia Pacific with street price of US$499. Actual price and availability may vary by markets in region.

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.