PRINTITRESELLER.UK 45 VOX POP standardise the production of biomass plastics, recycled from paper, which we aim to have in mass production by 2030. The same dry-fibre technology is also being used in the development of recycled packaging and cushioning materials for Epson products, again, based on recycled paper. In addition to Epson’s investments into heat-free inkjet over the decades, we’ve also committed to spending 100 billion JPY by 2030 (around £540m) on decarbonisation, resource recycling, and environmental technology development. And to help educate and inspire partners on all our environmental and social pursuits, we are publishing all of this in our annual European Sustainability Report. Ryan Mitchell: For hardware, we are trying to improve our current offering of recycled products and refurbished products. For certain products this works, but for print it’s more difficult, the secondary value is very low, and we need to consider that the logistics required to do this are costly and potentially reverses the good from the carbon offset. Remanufactured ink and toner also create challenges, the vendors have invested heavily in the R&D of their products, some of which is used to support a circular economy, removing their ability to sell in new products will impact this. One of the best impact reports I have seen and used is Epson’s, when used as a sales tool it’s extremely strong and compelling. By far the best I’ve seen! Dave Higgott, Technical & R&D Director, PCL Direct: PCL Direct is dedicated to integrating the principles of the circular economy into our remanufactured product lines and this is reflected in the way we reintroduce products into the industry, minimise waste and reduce the impact on the environment by giving a new lease of life to used and discontinued models and consumables. One of the services we provide the channel is a collection service for used toner cartridges, parts, and machines. We provide the dealer with a waste collection certificate, as evidence that materials are being responsibly managed in line with WEEE directives. Once collected, the used cartridges are professionally cleaned and remanufactured. We follow a strict procedure of multiple checks and live testing on all products and batch tests chips, Remanufacturing consumable products is a huge way in which we as an industry can cut waste and emissions toner and component parts. All our remanufactured toner products are tracked throughout the process and are recorded and tested every time new raw materials arrive, allowing full track and trace, and verification should any issues occur, or if warranty claims are made. Last year, PCL Direct sold over 100,000 toners and 60,000 drums with a failure rate below 1 per cent. We provide an extensive 12-month warranty for dealers through our online Warranty Portal to give added peace of mind. Louise Marshall: Remanufacturing consumable products is a huge way in which we as an industry can cut waste and emissions. In August this year we became the first company to be awarded the Blue Angel certification for a remanufactured toner. This recognition came after the independent auditors found that more than 75 per cent of our TN-3512 RE toner’s weight consisted of re-used parts. Our recycling and environment technology centre in Ruabon, North Wales, is one of our two main global remanufacturing hubs. The facility was certified as carbon neutral in 2021 and made a major contribution to Brother’s global milestone in recycling 40 million toner cartridges to date. Remanufacturing cartridges in the way we do is saving approximately 5,300 tonnes of CO2 globally every year, which is equivalent to taking 1,150 cars off the road. Businesses with our MPS Enterprise offering, targeted at larger organisations, can also benefit from clear reporting on how much CO2 they’ve saved by sending their consumables back to us to be recycled or remanufactured. This provides them with insights for their own ESG reporting. Gillian Anderson: Our commitment to the circular economy means producing world-class technology that is built to last. It is a philosophy shared by our partners, such as Agilico, with whom we have collaborated to create the National Refurbishment Centre in Leicester, which is breathing new life into ex-showroom and low utilisation machines. We are also providing our partners with tools that help their customers gain insight into how their devices are being utilised and where improvements can be made to minimise material wastage, reduce energy consumption and lower costs. And, when consumables are discarded, Konica Minolta will collect and recycle them as part of our World on Loan programme. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ www.epson.co.uk www.westcoast.co.uk www.pcl-direct.com www.brother.co.uk www.konicaminolta.co.uk Next issue we’ll feature the views from a number of leading channel businesses. Dave Higgott
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