Ricoh recently announced a new management system for its copier/MFPs that will allow managers to track the energy used by their device.

Developed in cooperation with IBM, the new software will help IT managers and CFOs get a grip on the true overall costs of running their office equipment, including overall energy usage.

As the press release notes:

“While IT services have become more managed and optimized, most businesses still do not have enough insight into and control of their printing devices’ use and costs. These costs extend beyond the hardware and printers to include consumables, labor for repairs and system updates as well as the high cost of energy and resulting carbon footprint.”

The product, aimed at Ricoh’s enterprise-level customers, is part of a trend that others will, we expect, soon follow. Companies have just in the last few years have started getting a grip on how much they are spending on office printing and copying costs, while trying to find savings in a previously unmanaged are of expenditure. While that has been up to now mostly in terms of consumables, the cost of energy is now gaining attention.

Suddenly, the industry is paying close attention to the environment as a differentiator. Machine trade-in, waste toner recycling, and better manufacturing practices are now common through the industry, and now overall energy consumption is being stressed. Particularly for large companies that have new programs for reducing carbon footprints, the new Ricoh software will be a nice selling point.

Tags: energy costs, environment, Ricoh