Although there are signs that inkjet technology may be maturing, laser printing is still more prevalent in the enterprise.
So said Michael Smetana, vice-president of LaserJet and enterprise solutions Europe, Middle East and Africa at HP, at the HP Printing Reinvented event, in Lisbon, yesterday. He noted most companies still think ink is used more for home use and laser for professional printing.
Smetana said while ink is set to see further adoption by companies, it still has a long way to go to catch up with laser in the enterprise space.
He noted there will be no sudden transition by organisations to inkjet but it will continue to develop.
Long-term, inkjet technology has the potential to overcome and make laser technology obsolete, said Smetana.
He said because ink reduces power consumption compared to laser printing, without compromising on speed, it will become a better choice for companies in the next 10 to 15 years.
"Ink is more environmentally friendly: you need fewer parts to produce the machine, less energy and lower running costs."
Robert Dinkelacker, general manager of printing Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa (MEMA), said the growth of laser will depend on the type of industry it will be used in. Laser will continue to dominate in the manufacturing and logistics industry, he added.
Laser is still big in the MEMA region, said Dinkelacker. However, in most regions, laser and inkjet coexist, he said. The enterprise question organisations need to address is which technology is more suitable for a particular business, he added.
Whether inkjet or laser technology, there is continued demand for printing, especially with the digitisation of organisations, said Dinkelacker.
Printing is still the best communication method for businesses, he added. "The need for printing will never change but what will change are the processes."
The amount of paper printed doubles every year, said Dinkelacker. "The only difference is in the past you printed to distribute, unlike today when companies distribute, document and then print.
"Printing is not dead, it is just changing - changing in behaviour and usage."
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