Inkjet production printing: here's why it's the tool to boost uptime.

If you're commercial printer is down, you're losing money and damaging your reputation; it's simple.

A production printer with massive downtime is more than just a headache for the operator; it's a big concern for the entire production printing organization. For commercial printers, every minute of machine downtime means missed deadlines, unhappy clients, and lost revenue.

Production print industry - current climate

As the production print industry evolves, commercial printers are facing more challenges, and they can't afford to have a production printer with excessive downtime.

Market demand continues to shift toward shorter runs, personalized content, and just-in-time delivery. This requires equipment that’s not only fast but also consistently reliable.

This shift is without considering the rising client demand for shorter print runs, combined with greater efficiency and increased competition, further increasing the pressure on commercial printers.

Inkjet vs Laser

Inkjet printing is fast becoming a must-have solution in commercial printing. While laser (toner-based) printers are increasingly seen as a legacy option struggling to meet modern demands.

For decades, toner-based systems dominated the commercial print industry. Their output quality and reliability made them a staple in print rooms across the globe.

However, as the modern world has evolved, so have print environments, which are now driven by shorter runs, faster turnaround times, and greater media flexibility. These demands push laser printers beyond their limits, causing stress for commercial printers.

Laser production printers involve long and often complex processes that slow operations down. The multiple steps, such as heating, fusing, and transferring toner to media, add time to production print workflows and processes, which also introduces multiple points where maintenance is needed, causing annoying downtime.

Now, in a bid to become more competitive, commercial printers are prioritizing one solution to help them achieve.

By minimizing manual intervention, reducing consumable waste, and maximizing operational output, inkjet production printers have evolved, maturing to become a key technology for every commercial printer, looking to be successful.

Inkjet production printers have fewer moving parts. The simple technology brings outstanding results as inkjet systems do not require heat to dry and the water-based ink is placed directly on the page, making for a sharper and higher quality image, but also ensuring that materials can be outputted in stunning quality.

Cut-sheet inkjet systems offer faster warm-up times, reduced stoppages, and more efficient media handling. This streamlined design not only boosts productivity but also lowers the risk of breakdowns and unscheduled maintenance.

As a result, inkjet enables businesses to produce more work, faster, cheaper, and with greater flexibility across a wider range of substrates. For commercial printers aiming to future-proof their operations, inkjet isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s quickly becoming essential.

What businesses could benefit from inkjet?

Any commercial printing business could use an inkjet printer as a side-car device or as an entry-point into new markets, such as direct mail, transactional mail, critical communications, publishing, and even graphic arts.

With an inkjet production printer, you combine high-volume printing with excellent output, reducing the stress for operators and increasing profits for commercial printing businesses.

Inkjet for All

An inkjet production printer is no longer limited to high-volume shops, all commercial printers can access these benefits. Today, the flexibility of inkjet makes them suitable for businesses in direct mail marketing to commercial printing. With lower cost-per-page, simplified workflows, and minimal downtime, inkjet offers an attractive return on investment for businesses of all sizes.

The Snowman Group has been in business for over 90 years, providing a variety of printed materials from Maine to other areas of the U.S.

Given their remote location, The Snowman Group couldn't afford a production printer that needs constant maintenance and care. So, after reading about Kyocera and learning about what the device could do from other commercial printing businesses, they decided to invest.

Harnessing the power of Kyocera, the business has gone from strength to strength with Rich Armstrong, President, commenting that the device has quickly become the favorite of his team because it is just so reliable. "As far as maintenance and service go with Kyocera, it's really not a topic. With Kyocera, I couldn't even tell you who the service technician is." He continues, "The maintenance cost and the cost of operating are so much lower than a traditional copier."

Using a Kyocera commercial printer, Rich Armstrong and the team at Snowman Group can plan for the future, which they are excited about. "I am really looking forward to the future with Kyocera. We have migrated some of our work from other pieces of equipment to Kyocera because it's reliable, prints well, stacks well, and my operators like it."

When it comes to production printing, inkjet is really the only choice commercial printers should make if they're looking to get ahead of the competition. Inkjet production printers boost uptime, reduce service headaches, and future-proof your print operation. As the industry continues to evolve, those who invest in smarter, faster, and more reliable technologies will be the ones who lead.

When it comes to inkjet printing, Kyocera is the choice for print service providers who are leading the commercial printer industry. With decades of experience in creating leading inkjet printheads, the TASKalfa Pro 15000c leads the way to a brighter tomorrow.