Digging deeper - how green is green?

It should be simple - a match made in heaven. Organisations want to become more environmentally friendly and companies know that being green can be a key differentiator in winning new business.

And big business it is too, with recent estimates from Verdantix predicting spend on energy, environment and sustainability initiatives will rise by an average of 16 per cent per annum over the next three years.

But for many, choosing the right solution for their business or office can be hard, especially when they're confronted with so many alternatives, all of them claiming environmentally friendly benefits, often making it difficult to see the wood for the trees. This seems to ring particularly true in the office printing sector.

A recent Computing survey exploring the issue of colour printing in businesses found that 32 per cent of IT managers polled were wholly unaware of the environmental impact of traditional toner based printers and copiers, even though that we know that impact includes emissions of harmful gases and a large amount of energy required to generate enough heat to fuse the toner to the page.

But there is one alternative on the market that doesn't use a heat fusing toner technology. In fact it uses a cold printing process and comes from the only manufacturer which has managed to crack this particularly environmentally unfriendly nut. It makes inkjet technology available in a high speed, high volume device capable of satisfying most office printing needs and replacing laser based multi-functional printers and copiers.

These devices, the Riso ComColor series, emit up to 80 per cent less CO2, have no harmful emissions and use up to 80 per cent less energy than their toner counterparts. By removing heat from the printing process we can also extend the life of the printer so Riso ComColor printers can last for decades, depending on usage.

As a consequence, Riso UK has developed refurbishing capabilities to capitalise on the machines' reliability. Customers are offered printers on a five-year lease, before returning them so they can be refurbished and offered to the secondary market, such as smaller schools and churches, for another four-year lease.

This service also helps to boost Riso's green credentials as refurbishment and reuse is greener than sending products straight to recycling.

The printers have a lifespan of up to ten million copies, so can also enter a third phase in their lifecycle in emerging markets. Reusing these machines over and over again means not having to waste resources and energy on either scrapping or indeed recycling them.

So, if your business is looking to improve its printing solutions and partner with a company which has being green at the heart of its business, then why not consider Riso UK?

Founded in Japan in 1946, Riso specialise in digital print innovations. Riso's unique ComColor series offer businesses an opportunity to meet their green credentials, whilst reducing cost.

With full colour A4 prints at an incredibly low cost of just 1.5p, unbeatable print speeds of up to 150 page per minute, and capable of satisfying high volume print demands, the Comcolor is the only real alternative to traditional toner devices. To find out how Riso can help your business meet its office printing needs, alongside your financial and environmental objectives, please email [email protected] or call us on 0800 917 2020.

This sponsored content was provided by Riso