Local Source for high-end color laser printers?

[Rex B]

My company needs to step up our game on in-house printing from our current ink-jet office printers.
We need:

Better quality output, approaching screen-print quality
Production-level output. We print a lot of single-color price sheets.
Duplex and 11x17

Looking for dependability plus low cost/page
I think this means a color laser printer.

Where do I find someone knowledgeable about this?

[WildBill]

Many companies are going to copier/printer/scanner combinations. My company leases three made by Toshiba. Canon also makes these units.

[Rex B]

Many companies are going to copier/printer/scanner combinations. My company leases three made by Toshiba. Canon also makes these units.

I have a pretty good desktop unit for that, but the output speed and the color quality could be better.
Inkjet cartridges cost about $20 each.
And it won't handle a 1000 pc print job.

All I really need is the printer function. We are actually replacing a printing machine (Duplo DP-63P) that works like a modernized mimeograph.
It has over 2 million copies through it and still going strong. But it's still just a fancy single-color mimeograph like my grade-school teachers used.

[zero4o3]

Many companies are going to copier/printer/scanner combinations. My company leases three made by Toshiba. Canon also makes these units.

I have a pretty good desktop unit for that, but the output speed and the color quality could be better.
Inkjet cartridges cost about $20 each.
And it won't handle a 1000 pc print job.

All I really need is the printer function. We are actually replacing a printing machine (Duplo DP-63P) that works like a modernized mimeograph.
It has over 2 million copies through it and still going strong. But it's still just a fancy single-color mimeograph like my grade-school teachers used.

***Edit It helps if I read the first post to meet your paper size requirments you might want to check out something like the Lexmark C925dte, or the OKI C830dtn or the Xerox Phaser 7760DN if you want counter size units.

also, if your looking for really high quality color, and I dont know what yoru budjet is like, but xerox makes full size MFP units called colorqubes that use solid ink and print out with some of the best color quality I have seen (cant be laminated though) with use a few of them at our hospital to print out images taken during exams and surgerys

as far as sources goes, depending on how many printers you need there are probably a few printer supply companys you could go through, I know we have a ton of them around here, if not that route I know bestbuy has what is basicly an entire different company called bestbuy for business and they where able to obtain a lot of our hardware at fair market prices

[Rex B]

I'll check out those models, thanks

We are replacing a unit that is about the size of an office copier, approx 3-ft wide, 4-ft tall.
That machine is actually a duplicator and not a printer per se.

Did not know about Best buy for Business. I'll Google that up.

Thanks much!

[Crossfire]

Rex - I am a color printer tech, (among other things), so I do have some expertise. If you really, truly need 11X17 color capability and laser quality, you limit yourself greatly. If you only run a small amount of tabloid size, then send those jobs to a print shop, and you will have lots more choices on letter and legal size printers.

If you MUST have tabloid size, the most affordable printer that meets your needs would be the Xerox Phaser 7500. There is also the 7760 and 7800, but price goes up with features. Here is a link to specs: http://www.office.xerox.com/printers/co ... /enus.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HP makes some really nice color printers, too, like the CP5525. About the same price, but operating cost is higher, due to their overpriced supplies. The advantage is, you can buy toner cartridges at Staples, Office Depot, etc. Xerox supplies have to come direct from Xerox.

I do not, under any circumstances, recommend you buy a Lexmark, or Konica Minolta product! You will just be spending your money to buy trouble, and who needs more trouble? Trust me on this one! Even if someone wants to GIVE you a Lexmark product, just walk away!

Let me know if you need more info.

[Rex B]

Crossfire

We actually do two kinds of jobs.

The largest volume is booklet-style price sheets, on 11x17 to make 4 pages.
B&W is fine, though if we had the capability we might add a color logo.

We also need to make color sale flyers and marketing pieces in standard 8.5x11.
We would run 12000/month minimum.

I have a fairly open budget. $10K is probably not out of the question, perhaps higher if it gets us where we need to be.

How can I determine the cost per copy on these?

[Crossfire]

Cost per copy is determined by initial purchase price, or lease price, divided by depreciation time. (Usually 5 years). I recommend leasing. In 5 years, you may own it, but there will be something much better, newer, faster, and with more bells and whistles by then. Also, leasing usually includes maintenance, which is purchased separately if you buy outright. Don't even think about buying a high end color laser printer without a service agreement. A single power surge from a storm can take out a circuit board, and those can run into thousands of dollars, each.

Then you have to consider the cost of supplies. Be aware, ALL printer manufacturers base toner yield on 10% coverage on letter size paper, and no one prints 10% coverage pages. Most are 25% to 50%. So, if the specs say toner yield is 100,000 pages per cartridge, just know that means that a tabloid page is 2 letter size pages, and a duplex tabloid page is 4 letter size pages. So, your 100k yield is actually 25k, or less.

Color laser printers have 4 cartridges - black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, so mulitply by 4, and know that you will use twice as much black as the others. Each toner cartridge also has a corresponding imaging unit (or drum) Gotta account for those too.

You also have a transfer belt, (or accumulator belt, and a fuser.) Yield on those is actual page count. They don't care about toner coverage.

Paper cost will be pretty much the same with any of the printers. Good quality laser paper works just as well for any of them.

So, check the cost of those replacement supplies, factor in purchase or lease price, and there you have it.

[92f-fan]

Not sure what you mean by high end but most modern multifunction lasers from the major copier companies will do 11x17 and decent color

here is one I have some experience with
http://savin.com/products/productshowro ... m=features" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It may not do magazine quality but its color - and as was stated get a maintenance contract you pay per page for ALL supplies and its MUCH cheaper than ink jet
Figure under $0.020 a page for Black and White and under $0.080 per page for color.

The modern devices now, print, copy, fax, network fax, scan to email and have document servers so you can store the brochures you print a lot right on the device and always get a first quality print

The 9120 above is less than $5000
Likely less than $4000

You can get pro quality to print magazine quality for under your $10k budget ...

All prices above are HIGH depending on your volume and your negotiation skills you can EASILY exceed them.

[Rex B]

Anyone know about this machine?

Xerox DocuColor 7000/8000

Is this a complete system, or does it need a server, or a printer ahead of it?

What is the price range for something like that?

[Crossfire]

That is a digital press. 70 duplex pages per minute, expected volume range is 2-3 million pages per month.

Starting price, with no options, is $245,000

I am not in sales, I am only a service tech. You really should contact the local Xerox sales office and let them asnwer your questions. 972-830-4000. They are located on Freeport Parkway, between Hwy 114 and I635. Don't have the address right off the top of my head, just know it when I see it.

BTW, although I spent many, many years working for Xerox, I am not employed by them now. I work for an authorized service provider of my brands. So, whether you buy Xerox, or Kodak, or HP, or whatever, my feelings will not be hurt. But, if you buy a Lexmark, I will have to question your judgement. Did I mention you REALLY should stay away from Lexmark?

[Rex B]

Whew!

OK, how close can we get for $20K - $30K?

Magazine-quality (or close), booklet capability.

[Crossfire]

Look at the Xerox Phaser 7760 or 7800. GREAT print quality, even photo quality on glossy paper, will print on your 11X17, and I think it has a booklet maker option. (Folder, saddle stitcher)

[Rex B]

I did take a look at that 7800. Looks like I can get what I need for about $10K
I contacted Dentech to subject myself to a sales pitch next week.

I sure could use it right now.

[zero4o3]

I did take a look at that 7800. Looks like I can get what I need for about $10K
I contacted Dentech to subject myself to a sales pitch next week.

I sure could use it right now.

sales pitches are the best, last year when we were switchig printer companys at the hospital I work at, we got free dinner, free baseball games with open bars free lunches once a week from all the companys we had to talk to. My favorite time of the year is when we have to re negotiate a contaract

we are required to get 3-4 qoutes on a contract and so its just some of the stuff you have to put up with