But how do you know which company to choose from?

Look at the following list of the top eight copier companies in the UK. You’ll find that all have traded for many years, and some were even the front runners in developing innovative digital technology. Furthermore, most have been around for longer than the hi-tech companies popular today. Moreover, some were trading even before offices thought of digital photocopiers. But, they have adapted to change and now are at the forefront of the digital photocopier marketplace.

You’ll probably find that most photocopier machine companies on the list are household names and have reputations to consider and uphold. Those are the copier suppliers to use as they have the resources to ensure their equipment works day in and day out.

Top 8 Commercial Photocopier Companies in the UK

The following list shows the top 8 business photocopier brands in the UK. We have only put them in alphabetical order as the best copier for the job depends on your company’s requirements and circumstances.

• Brother
• Canon
• Epson
• HP
• Konica Minolta
• Ricoh
• Sharp
• Xerox

1. Brother

Brother was originally a Japanese company and had traded for over 100 years in a wide range of mechanical equipment, from motorbikes to typewriters. The company started selling in Europe from Ireland in 1958, and in 1968 took over a sewing machine company in Manchester, UK.

In 1971, the company developed the world’s first high-speed dot matrix printer, the world’s thinnest portable printer in 2004, and the first WiFi scanner.

With this background, it’s no wonder that Brother is one of the best known commercial photocopier brands in the UK. Generally, it has a wide and versatile range of digital office scanners, printers and label printers to suit just about any commercial situation.

We can summarise Brother’s features as:

• Brother has traded for over 100 years and in the UK since 1968.
• Its office products benefit from the company’s continual programme of R&D.
• The company provides digital workplace solutions and targets all sized businesses to help them work more efficiently.

Brother website

2. Canon

Canon is one of the world’s leading digital printing and copy machine manufacturers. Moreover, the company’s best selling product is the multifunctional printer that combines a scanner, copier and printer inside one housing. Furthermore, these can be used in the home or by companies of any size, from small one-room offices to multinationals. Possibly, the world’s top-rated, all-in-one, multifunctional product is the Canon ImageRunner. This range has been among the most popular for many years. And, it is available with many different specifications to suit your company requirements.

We can summarise the company’s features as:

• The company has traded for over 80 years.
• Its products are renowned for reliability.
• All Canon products produce high-quality prints and images.

Canon website

3. Epson

The company, that was to become Epson, Daiwa Kogyo Ltd, started trading in 1942, while its Seiko watch brand began in 1956. However, more to the point, the company first developed the world’s first miniature digital printer in 1968. Then, jump ahead to 1975, and we find the Epson brand name established and beginning to grow into the giant we see today.

Epson has a wide range of digital printers ranging from the small all-in-one Workforce printers. Designed for the home and small business market, these have a throughput of up to 200 pages per month. In contrast, the largest freestanding printers and copiers have a throughput of up to 100,000 pages per month.

We can summarise Epson’s features as:

• The parent company has traded for almost 80 years, and as Epson, one of the world’s largest photocopier companies, for nearly 50 years.
• The company is known for the development of groundbreaking digital equipment.
• Epson targets small and large businesses. Additionally, it also has an extensive range of products for home and small office use.

Epson website

4. HP

Hewlett Packard, or HP, has produced office equipment for over 80 years. However, in the last few years, the company has aimed its LaserJet Series at the small office digital copying and printing market. Generally, the company produces a complete range of commercial computers, monitors, and high paper-output printers and copier ranges. Furthermore, as an added advantage, this top-rated office photocopier and printer supplier makes some of the most environmentally friendly office products on the market. But, it also helps your company’s budget by being cost-effective.

We can summarise HP’s features as:

• Hewlett Packard has traded for over 80 years.
• The most popular office models are desktop rather than freestanding.
• HP markets its products mainly for small office and home use.

HP website

5. Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta is one of the top commercial copier makers in the marketplace. Moreover, the company’s products include many good quality photocopiers, available to print in both monochrome and colour. Also, Konica Minolta’s multifunction printers, digital scanners, and similar devices have many top-rated customer reviews. Furthermore, the company takes commercial confidentiality very seriously and offers high-quality security features for companies copying sensitive documents.

We can summarise Konica Minolta’s features as:

• Trading for at least 16 years.
• Advanced security on its commercial products.
• Ideal for those companies with confidential printing and copying requirements.

Konica Minolta website

6. Ricoh

Ricoh has been in business for over 50 years. But, in that time, it has built an enviable reputation for its commercial print and photocopying equipment. Eventually, this culminated in 1990 when the company developed the first colour digital printer to reach a throughput speed of 15 pages per minute.

This photocopier manufacturer targets both small and large businesses. However, its reputation is as a leading manufacturer of digital devices aimed at the larger enterprise.

We can summarise the company’s features as:

• Trading for over 50 years.
• Ricoh produces fast printers and copiers.
• The company targets all size companies. But concentrates on the larger businesses.

Ricoh website

7. Sharp

Sharp has always been one of the popular choices for business users when choosing a commercial photocopier brand. Over time, the company has won many awards for its products and how the purchaser can buy customised photocopying and digital printing equipment to suit their unique commercial requirements. Moreover, Sharp equipment is very advanced yet accessible for non-technical employees to use. Furthermore, many Sharp copiers and printers have touch screen technology and other simple control panels to carry out editing and collating tasks.

We can summarise Sharp’s features as:

• The company has been in business for over 100 years.
• Sharp’s equipment is well known for its ease of use.
• Although the equipment suits any size business, they are especially suited for small businesses.

Sharp website

8. Xerox

Xerox is a US-based business photocopier brand with a name that is almost generic for photocopiers. Moreover, the company has the largest selection of digital printers and colour photocopiers worldwide. Furthermore, although their reputation has been built on the sizeable commercial photocopier, the company is best known nowadays for the all-in-one digital printer.

We can  summarise Xerox’s features as:

• Xerox has traded for over 100 years.
• Probably, the company’s all-in-one, multifunction printers are their best-known product.
• Xerox specialises in multifunction copiers and printers.

Xerox website

What’s Next?

Deciding which brand and size photocopier is best for your business can be challenging, especially if you also have to consider your company’s budget limits.

Therefore, complete the form on this page, and we’ll put you in touch with commercial photocopier suppliers who can advise you on which models to buy. Then, you’ll receive up to 4 quotations so you can choose the right photocopier for your company at the right price.

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Buying a Photocopier For The Right Price

When looking at the available photocopiers on the market you will see that the sizes range from small desktop options up to stand-alone industrial size machines. The size of the photocopier you need is dependent on the amount of photocopying – and the functions – you require.

The volume of photocopying required is separated into the following categories:

• Low Volume
  Suitable for small businesses who require relatively few photocopies each day. Generally, a low volume photocopier has the capability to print around 20 pages per minute. You can expect to buy a basic desktop photocopier (ideal for startup businesses) for less than £100 or a slightly more advanced free-standing photocopier (ideal for small offices) for up to £1000 depending on the features.
• Medium Volume
  Best suited to growing and mid-sized businesses who are in frequent need of photocopies. Photocopiers in this category are able to print faster (around 40 pages per minute), are larger and have increased functionality. With these differences comes a slightly higher price tag. You can expect the models in this category to cost anywhere from £2,000 up to around £5,000.
• High Volume
  Photocopiers in this category are highly capable and geared towards large businesses with consistently high printing requirements. Generally, a high volume copier is able to produce over 100 prints per minute and operate in an efficient and mostly automated manner. The high volume models are incredible efficient and can cost you between £5,000 and £10,000 to buy.

Those numbers are a rough guide as the cost of buying a photocopier is entirely dependent on the requirements of your business. There is a huge amount of versatility and there are multiple factors that impact the price you can expect to pay, these include:

• Print Quality
  The print quality refers to the detail and sharpness the photocopier is able to produce. This is measured in dots per inch (DPI) with 600 DPI being a commonly seen resolution which is suitable for your standard everyday copying. If you are going to be producing promotional and marketing materials it is likely that you’ll require a higher quality of 1,200 DPI. The next step up is 2,400 DPI and is the go-to option for professions such as graphic designers who require their prints at exceptional quality.
• Colour Capabilities
  Do you need to print in colour or black and white? Colour allows your prints to have an impact and stand out but if this is not a necessity then you can save yourself a lot of money by choosing black and white. This is because not only are the colour copiers more expensive but they also require more cartridges that, in some cases, can cost 6 times the amount of a regular black toner.
• Print Speed
  The print speed can vary from producing around 20 copies per minute to producing over 100 copies per minute. If this is something you consider to be important then make sure you keep an eye on the copies per minute information in the model specifications. As expected, the print speed has an impact on the cost of the machine.
• Monthly Duty Cycle
  The monthly duty cycle tells you how much the photocopier is able to handle on a monthly basis. However, this is to show the durability of the copier and your actual copy volume each month should be considerably less than the monthly duty cycle in order for your copier to remain in its prime for longer.

As you can see, there are many factors that impact the price you can expect to pay for a printer. Other factors to keep in mind include the size of document you need to work with e.g. A3 and the functionality of the copier – do you need to print, scan, e-mail and fax from the copier too? It’s all well and good having this information on hand but let’s take a look at some examples so you can see what we are really talking about.

Compare Photocopier Prices (Table)

The table above gives you a general idea of pricing dependent on the photocopier type, we also include a couple of key features so you know what you can expect from each type of copier. We take a look at this in more detail below:

Basic low volume – These are the smaller, low resolution photocopiers that can comfortably sit on your desk and usually produce black and white copies. They are very affordable and are best suited to small businesses currently operating a one or two-man office. If you have higher volume requirements and use a model from this category you will quickly experience problems and the machine is likely to break early on in its lifespan. Therefore, it’s better not to try to cut corners by choosing a lower volume model and pushing it beyond its limits.

Free standing low volume – These are larger, faster and usually more capable than the desktop models. They still tend to be relatively basic as they are geared towards smaller businesses who require low volumes of copies.

Medium volume – The models in this category often have faster operating speeds and more features as well as increased additional add-ons. They tend to be multifunctional and are perfect for small to medium sized offices with frequent copying needs.

Colour medium volume – These are similar to those above but with colour abilities adding additional versatility and allows businesses to produce eye-catching prints every time.

High volume – These models are high performance with impressive print speeds, a range of included features as well as seemingly endless optional extras. They are very large in size so will take up a lot of office space but they are able to work continuously, producing high quality and professional prints without any wasted time.

Renting & Leasing Photocopiers

As you can see, investing in a photocopier often involves a large initial cost that can leave businesses feeling out of pocket. This is especially true when you take into account the running costs of a printer too. To combat this and avoid the tense grasp of tight budgets many businesses decide to rent or lease a photocopier. Why? It’s simple, really. You can enjoy all the benefits of the photocopier while instead of having to pay to own the machine you pay a small monthly fee to utilise it.

Leasing prices can start from around £20 a month and generally a contract lasts a few years but this is something you can discuss with the supplier. Many lease contracts will give you the option of buying the photocopier at the end of the lease for a fee or you can upgrade it to a new model on a new lease or simply just return the photocopier. Leasing also has potential tax benefits as the service is deductible from your profits.
Considering Consumables
A photocopier comes with running costs as you need to continuously replenish the photocopier consumables such as the toner, ink, paper, staples, etc. Running costs also can include maintenance, repairs and part replacements.  It may sound insignificant but when you consider a toner cartridge alone could cost you around £60, the costs soon add up.
Best Value Photocopiers for Business
To help give you an idea of the prices you can expect to pay and what is included with each model we have chosen some of the best value photocopiers and compared them below. All of the copiers below are manufactured by excellent, well known manufacturers and are all very solid options. The photocopier you choose to invest in is completely dependent on your business needs.

As seen in the table above, the prices can vary massively depending on what it is you are looking for. However, these examples should help you to find photocopiers to suit your needs that are excellent value for money. If you are struggling to find the right machine, don’t worry we can help. Contact us today and we’ll help you to sort through the vast selection to find the best models for you.

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Renting vs Leasing an office photocopier/printer

By renting or leasing a printer, it allows you to choose the most suited model for your businesses needs without high purchase prices. This means you may be able to afford higher quality models than if you were buying the printer. When leasing you can keep up with the latest technology, make financial savings and avoid large deposits. The printer maintenance will also be covered in a lease agreement which will save you on time, money and stress.

Lease or rent? A lease agreement tends to be a long-term solution for businesses who wish to potentially own the printer at the end of the agreement whereas a rental contract is more of a short-term borrowing of the item.

What kind of business should rent or lease a printer?

Each business requires something slightly different from a printer, the size of your business and the amount of printing required are the main determining factors. Start-up and smaller businesses may find that it is most beneficial to buy a printer outright – the chances are they would require a more basic set up which is more affordable and easy to use, repair and replace.

Businesses with a larger printing requirement would likely find that renting or leasing is the way forward. This is due to the need for more complex, faster machines – these machines are more expensive to buy and more difficult to fix which is why leasing is a great option. There’s often maintenance coverage of some degree within the lease agreement and the vendors are familiar with common printer problems making them prepared to deal with any issues quickly. Whereas, if you own the printer the maintenance and repair will fall to you which may prove to be costly and time consuming.

Considerations before renting or leasing a printer

Your business’s needs and preferences will directly impact the best printer option for you. There are several different types of printer available, two of the most common are inkjet and laser printers. Laser printers are excellent for high volume printing but are pricier when it comes to colour printing. Inkjet printers, on the other hand, are more suited to printing in colour. Have a think about what your business needs from a printer, ask yourself the following questions to help you narrow down the selection:

• How many pages will be printed each month?
• Is colour printing necessary?
• What size paper will the printer need to be able to handle?
• Do you want to be able to print on both sides using duplex functionality?
• Are the scanner or faxer necessary features for your business?
• Is wireless or Ethernet network connectivity preferred?

There are all-in-one printers available that come with many of the features mentioned, however if you are in need of something specific it pays to make sure the printer model you choose has the necessary features. Many businesses require A4 printing but if you require A3, A2 or maybe smaller sized paper or even envelope printing these features are available on many modern printer models.

Top Tip – If you need high speed/ high volume printing make sure you consider the paper capacity – it’s no use if the printer has speeds of 70 prints per minute but the paper runs out after 50 sheets, make sure you choose a larger capacity to be able to fully optimize the features.

Cost Per Page (CPP) is a useful calculation that divides the cartridge cost by the page yield (the number of pages the cartridge can print on). The number you get is the cost per page for printing. The calculation can become tricky for printers that use multiple cartridges but it’s great to have on hand when working out the costs of hiring a printer. The duty cycle is another number to look out for – it tells you the monthly capability of the printer. There may also be a monthly recommended print volume; both of these values indicate the volume of printing that specific model has been designed to handle.

Office Photocopier/Printers: What to look out for

When a printer does not do its job, there a few possible reasons this has happened. We’ve taken a look at the most common issues below, if your printer is struggling it could be due to:

• Paper Jams – Paper becoming stuck as it tries to feed into the printer is very common but fortunately it’s an easy fix. Simply ensure the paper tray is correctly positioned and the paper is placed neatly without folds or creases in order to avoid jams from occurring.
• Connectivity – A wireless printer may not print if it has lost connection or jumped onto a different network. Check your printer is connected to the correct network, if the connections look good there could be a printer driver problem.
• Ink settings – If the ink is running low the quality will be bad (likely distorted and difficult to read), another reason for low quality printing could be in the printer settings – make sure the quality is set to high to avoid pixelated printing.
• Paper type – The type of paper could also impact your print quality. When printing on glossy paper the ink can become smudged and distorted due to the wet ink coming into contact with other pages as they print faster than the ink can dry. To prevent this, remove the pages as they print to give them a chance to dry.

Printer Leasing & Rental Contracts

The finer details of printer leasing and rental contracts will vary between suppliers, however check the following with your potential provider to ensure your contract contains what you need:

• Maintenance service
• Call outs & repair support
• Installation and user training
• Early return or contract flexibility options
• Contract length
• Cost & warranty

Your lease agreement generally will not include:

• Delivery charges
• Consumables e.g. paper/ card
• Accidental damage
• Misuse by operator
• Moving the machine to another location

Before you sign the contract or agreement make sure you know the services offered, the maintenance support you will receive, any minimum/maximum limits & associated out of limit costs, the printing price per page and which toners you will receive. Contracts vary between suppliers so always know what’s included to save you unnecessary stress later.

Approved Office Printer Manufacturers to choose

There are many credible, high quality and affordable printer manufacturers to choose from. Each manufacturer offers an array of printers to suit the individual needs of businesses so by shopping around and comparing what’s available you’ll be able to find the best printer for you at the best value deals.

Some of the top printer manufacturers are:

• Xerox: American company specialising in colour printing. They are known worldwide for offering a wide range of high quality printers. If you need the latest colour technology for your printing needs, Xerox could be a perfect starting point.

• Canon: A consistent frontrunner and a favourite brand of many. High quality printing is the name of the game for Canon and with their range of printers available, they are not to be underestimated.

• Konica Minolta: Popular manufacturer with an excellent reputation. You may know them thanks to their camera equipment but they manufacture top quality printers too!

• Ricoh: One of the UK’s top manufacturers of printers. Ricoh is relatively new compared to their competitors, however their rapid climb to the top indicates their expertise and quality. Their printers are all full of useful features (even smaller models come with excellent features rarely seen on the basic, more affordable models).

• Brother: World renowned Japanese brand known for their printing technologies. You can often find the latest tech options and they are a great choice for smaller businesses as their range caters more towards lower volume printing needs.

These well-known brands are excellent choices as they have sturdy, ongoing reputations of producing high quality printers. They are reliable options and with the marketplace so full of brands and printers it’s always good to have a starting point. Remember to check out the customer reviews and online forums for extra information on the printers you are interested in.

Summary

Once you know what your business needs from a printer you can compare the top models available to find the best deals to suit you. With so many factors impacting the cost of leasing, it pays to know what you’re looking for. Choose an approved printer manufacturer and don’t be afraid to ask questions about the printer and the lease agreement. If you have any further questions or you’d like to request a quote, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.

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An office photocopier machine allows employees to keep productivity high. This post will break down some photocopiers and help you get the best possible one for your business.

Office Photocopiers Reviewed

There are multiple kinds of business photocopiers. Here, we will break down a low volume one, a medium volume one, and a high volume one so you can get a good idea of the differences. If you like what you see, don’t forget to fill out the form up top to get a free quote from us in minutes!

Sharp AR-5620

The Sharp AR-5620 is a high volume photocopier that holds paper up to A3 in size. It prints in black-and-white, and this machine can print up to 20 pages per minute at a high-definition 600×600 dpi resolution. While fast and feature-heavy, it is small enough to fit in a tight office space.

This photocopier lasts for around 16,000 prints before needing a toner replacement, which is a reasonably long time. Copies take only 7.2 seconds to come out, and the machine comes with a separation roller that prevents paper jams. Users can alter documents before printing, and the Sharp even features pre-heating and an automatic shut-off mode for saving power. On top of all this, it also scans in color documents quickly.

The Sharp AR-5620 is a necessary and efficient business photocopier for any sized company. Also, it includes extra options for those looking to expand the capabilities of this machine. It is simple to learn and produces high-quality copies.

Xerox WorkCentre 6655

The Xerox WorkCentre copier features scanning, printing, and copying in both black-and-white and color. It is a medium volume machine that can move up to 35 pages a minute, totaling to 100,000 sheets a month at 2,400 by 600 dpi. This is an ideal machine for growing companies.

It has an incredibly quick warm-up time, and the system is easy to learn. It comes with booklet printing, duplex printing, proof printing, automatic 2-sided, and more. The Xerox can scan via USB, email, mailbox, or network, and it offers an encrypted password protection PDF file format.

Copies come out in 16 seconds for color, and 15 seconds for black and white. Printing shortens the time to 11 seconds for both color and black and white, ensuring quick prints so employees can get back to work.

Toshiba e-Studio 2050C

The Toshiba e-Studio 2050C is small, light, and can even sit on top of a desk. It prints at a low volume 20 pages per minute, and can also copy, scan, and fax documents. This machine holds 2,000 sheets at a time, and prints at a high quality 600×600 dpi. It can print 56,000 pages before needing a toner replacement.

The copier can scan papers in via a network, fax forward, and has excellent security add-ons like the filtering of IP and Mac addresses, port controlling and network authentication. You can also add on features like an extra sheet capacity or a hard drive.

Smaller to medium sized businesses will find great use of the Toshiba e-Studio 2050C.

Which Office Photocopier To Buy?

All copiers have different functions, extra features, and varying page capacities. Depending on your business, you may need one with color printing, double-sided printing, and a 35 pages a minute speed. Speed is one of the most critical factors in making a decision, and higher speed means higher prices.

Balancing out your company needs and your budget is the first step to take while looking into business photocopier prices.

Some notable features to keep in mind:

Double-Sided Printing

Not only does this save your company paper, but double-printing is a powerful feature for forming booklets or organizing essential documents for your employees.

Color Printing

Some businesses only need to print in black-and-white. Others need to go the extra mile for a copier that features color capabilities. Most machines offer color scanning, but not all do color printing.

Additional Paper Trays

There are a variety of paper sizes that you may need to print in. Some machines offer multiple paper trays that support colored paper or other formats without needing to switch the main deck. This could save a lot of time in offices with various paper needs.

The size of your business is the most significant thing to consider when buying a photocopier. Find a price range that includes the features your employees need and go from there. Check out some of our business photocopier reviews to find a great selection of machines for your budget.

Renting vs. Buying Photocopiers For Your Business

Choosing between a rental or buying a copier can save your business a ton of money in the long run. If you already have a copier but are missing a critical feature for a job, leasing may be in your best interest. You won’t have to deal with high business copier prices, and you can go back to using your old machine once the job is done.

For the long-term, buying may be a better solution. If your current machine is beginning to fade, you may just want to budget for a brand new one to save your employees the struggle. You may not be able to afford that high-tier quality copier you could get by leasing, but chances are high you can find one within your budget that fits your needs. There are a variety of copiers you can get for a decent price – fill out our form up above and get quotes sent to you in minutes.

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Sharp AR-5620 Photocopier key features:

• Print (black and white), copy (black and white), scan (colour).
• Ability to handle (including scan) A3 media
• Standard 600 sheet paper capacity – can be increased to 1100 sheets.
• Duplex printing and sorting abilities
• A printing speed of 20 pages per minute when printing onto A4 and 11 pages per minute when printing onto A3

The AR-5620 is a great choice for businesses who need a reliable, fast and high quality multi-functional printer, the toner cartridges used in this printer have a particularly high life meaning they will last for approximately 16,000 prints. As well as this the printer has a separation roller built in to assist in preventing paper jams meaning your printing jobs will run smoothly and time efficiently.

The first copy takes only 7.2 seconds so you do not have to wait around when using the AR-5620 either. As well as the features that already come included with this model there are also extras you can add on such as the single pass feeder that allows you to make copies automatically from a stack of pages rather than having to place each page by hand, this can help to save time and reduce the number of tedious tasks we are all familiar with.

There are also editing functions on this printer that allow you to check and alter documents before you print them, these options include zoom, margin shift, auto exposure control and text/photo mode. Other beneficial functions include the pre-heat and the automatic power shut-off modes to help you get started quickly and save on power when you are finished printing and copying.

The ability to scan A3 colour documents is extremely efficiency boosting and experience enhancing in terms of document management. Having the ability to scan these larger documents and save them as a digital format makes organisation much easier.

Summary

The Sharp AR-5620 is a great black and white printer, copier and scanner that has many versatile and impressive features combined with a good printing speed and high quality results. The features that come as standard with this multi-function printer are so varied that you are sure to find what you need, there are also additional extras that you can choose to include should you feel they are necessary for your business. Overall, this is an efficient, effective and fully featured A3 multi-function printer that is not only easy to use but also produces high quality results.

Further reading: Take a look at our in-depth review of all Sharp photocopiers for your business

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The history of photocopying

In 1937 Chester Carlson, who was a patent attorney in New York, invented a process called ‘electrophotography’. It had taken Carlson quite some time to establish electrophotography and the following year the process was renamed Xerography. The creation is based on two things that occur naturally; the first of which is that opposite electrical charges attract and the second is that when exposed to light some materials conduct better. “10-22-38 Astoria” was the first known photocopy to be created and the Xerography process became extremely well known and popular within the 20th century. However, the popularity of Xerography was not immediate, it took Carlson 10 years to secure a company to develop the process. A photo-paper manufacturer, The Haloid Company, were the ones to finally take on the challenge of developing Xerography and the company eventually became Xerox Corporation.

From 1947, The Haloid Company had began working with the Xerox process to develop a xerographic machine. They developed the first automated xerographic machine in 1955 and then in 1958 the first ever commercial push button copier named the Xerox 914 was introduced. This commercial copier was the first of its kind and was able to make copies quickly with very little effort from the user. The Xerox 914 was incredibly successful, selling thousands and increasing the company’s, then known as Haloid Xerox, income by millions in a matter of years. Photocopying became so popular due to their ability accurately copy a document onto plain office paper in a fast and economical manner. The increase in photocopying was huge, before the Xerox 914 was released Americans produced around 20 million copies annually, a number that skyrocketed to 14 billion by 1966 thanks to the ease of copying using the Xerox 914.

The photocopier has come a long way since its beginnings, the photocopiers available now come in a range of brands, sizes and models to suit all business and personal needs. You can buy anything from a small, monochrome desktop photocopier to a high volume colour copier.  One of the most substantial differences between the first photocopier and modern copiers are the functions, these days you can not only copy documents but also scan, print and fax as well as edit documents and images, print in colour, print two sided documents and more. You can even buy photocopiers suitable for larger paper sizes (A3) and you can opt for finishing options including stapling, hole-punching and booklet making. These additional features make the humble office photocopier responsible for far more than just copying.

In fact, the photocopiers available now are so varied that you can choose one that best fits the needs of your business in terms of the monthly volume that it can handle, the speed it can copy at and the additional features you require. As an example of the two sides of the spectrum –  you can buy low volume copiers that print less than 8,000 copies a month at a speed of 20 prints per minute to suit the smaller office or on the opposite side of production you can purchase a high volume copier that can produce up to 100,000 copies per month at a speed of up to 100 prints per minute for the large corporations. There are options available for everyone in the current market. Despite all of the additional features and options, the core of a photocopier has stayed the same in this time, being altered only by the digital revolution – to which it easily adapted. If you were to see an Xerox 914 today you would see it is much larger than a modern photocopier but it operated in the same way.

The different parts of a photocopier that work together

These are the fundamental parts that make up a photocopier:

• Paper Tray
  This tray is where the paper is taken from in order for the copy to be transferred from the drum onto the paper.
• Glass
  The glass is where you place the document you wish to copy, face down.
• Exposure Lamp
  The lamp is a powerful light source that can remove the electrons from photo-conductive atoms.
• Mirrors/ Reflectors
  The mirrors are used to reflect the light given off by the lamp onto the drum.
• Photosensitive Drum/ belt
  The drum is the heart of a photocopier, it is basically a cylinder that has a photo-conductive covering.
• Charge Corona (thin wire)
  The corona wires are essential to provide the positive charges needed for a photocopier to work. They transfer high voltage energy into static energy within the drum and paper. There is usually more than one corona wire as one if needed for the drum and another is needed for the paper’s surface.
• Toner Cartridges
  Toner is a negatively charged, plastic-based powder. The toner finds positively charged ions within the drum and then move onto the electrostatically charged paper where it will stay after the fusing process thanks to the plastic component of the powder.
• Heated Roller
  The heated roller is used to fuse the toner onto the paper making the copy permanent.

Photocopying: A Science & An Art

A photocopier makes creating paper copies of documents seem very easy and straightforward, I mean all we have to do is push a button, right? In fact, the process behind photocopying is an intricate one. Xerography is what is called a ‘dry process’ that produces an image by applying toner and heat to a piece of paper.

How a photocopier works:

• Charging
• Exposure
• Developing
• Transfer
• Fusing

In order to produce a photocopy the document you wish to replicate must first be placed face-down onto the piece of glass ready to be copied. The image of the page is projected onto the photosensitive drum but the for anything to happen the drum needs to be electrostatically charged.

Charging 
The electrostatic charge happens using the high voltage charge corona which sets up the essentials necessary for the electrostatic photocopier to work. The change corona works by the ionisation of the surrounding air. Now the cylindrical drum is electrostatically charged and has photoconductive material coated onto it which conducts to light.

Exposure

The photoconductive material on the cylindrical drum becomes conductive when it is exposed to light so that is the next step. The exposure lamp shines a bright light onto the original document and this is reflected onto the photoconductive drum. This reflection on the drum allows the areas exposed to light to become conductive and the areas not exposed (dark areas of the document) to remain negatively charged.

Developing

Next the photocopier toner, which has been positively charged, is applied to the drum in order to develop the imagine. The toner attracts to and stays in the negatively charged areas (the dark areas).

Transfer

This image of the drum is then transferred onto a piece of paper that has a higher negative charge than the drum. The paper has to have a higher negative charge otherwise the toner will remain on the drum rather than be attracted to the paper.

Fusing

Finally, the toner is bonded to the paper using heat to melt it and pressure rollers to fuse it.

Another way to think about the process of a photocopy machine

Static electricity in photocopiers (like the energy you produce when you rub a balloon against your t-shirt and it stick to you) is used in a way that captures the light pattern and then uses this to pass the pattern onto the photo-conductor. The image is projected onto a drum that is positively charged, the drum will conduct energy when exposed to light. The exposure light is an intense beam of light that reflects from the white areas of the original document onto the drum. The areas of the drum that have been lit by the projected image will lose their electrostatic charge due to the conduction.

The remaining positively charged areas of the drum will attract the negatively charged toner particles to it so when the ink drum touches the belt it becomes coated with toner. With the toner particles attracted only to the charged areas it gives you a copy of the original document ready to be transferred onto paper.

The paper is given a strong electrical charge before it reaches the drum so that when they come into contact the charged toner particles will rapidly transfer onto the paper. This produces a black and white copy of the original document. In order for this to become permanent the paper needs to be heated. The paper is passed through the heat and pressure to fuse the toner onto the paper. The copy emerges and you’ll probably notice that the paper is still a little bit warm from the process!

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There are obvious advantages to buying a new copier but the advantages of second hand copiers has resulted in a large amount of businesses choosing to buy used rather than new copiers. It used to be considered something of a ‘gamble’ to buy second hand but that is certainly not the case anymore, an approved second hand photocopier is an excellent way to bring down costs while retaining quality and efficiency.

Second Hand Photocopiers

As we all know, a photocopier is an important piece of equipment within an office no matter how big or small the size of the company. This is what had led people to stick with buying brand new copiers for so long, there was a fear that having a used machine would result in the photocopier breaking or being less efficient because of its previous usage, now it is known that you can get the same quality and efficiency from a used second hand multi function printer as you can a brand new one meaning you can save some money without the worry!

A brand new photocopier can be expensive so many office managers are favouring second hand equipment due to its, usually substantial, reduced cost combined with its durability and efficiency. Buying used copiers is common practice as the price of brand new copiers continues to rise and companies are discovering that they can get the performance and production they are looking for from a second hand photocopier for a fraction of the price. The prices, the variety of brands and models available and the reliability of the machines all contribute to the increasing popularity of buying second hand equipment.

Searching On The Internet

Generally, the best way to look for used equipment is online. There are several websites that list second hand equipment, these sites can give you an idea of what is available on the market and the prices of them. It is a very good idea to take time to shop around on these websites as it allows you to see the models, the prices and the different deals available.

Comparing what is available will help you to develop an opinion of the market and the general trends on the sites, making it easier to spot the great, cheap photocopiers as well as anomalies and copiers that are best avoided. One of the first questions an office manager asks is:

By purchasing a second hand machine will we be sacrificing quality? 

In short the answer to this is no, as long as you buy an approved copier and it meets energy regulation requirements you will not be sacrificing quality, only saving money! As there are so many great options online, you can shop around quite extensively before committing to a photocopier. There should also be reviews and comments from other customers to give you an idea of the standards being provided by those sites, we would also recommend visiting forums and checking industry watchdogs in order to ensure the site you are deciding to use is legit and proper.

It is not just used copiers available online, you will also find reconditioned photocopiers for sale, these are machines that have had any worn parts completely replaced and any running issues fixed. The machine runs as a new machine and they tend to come with a warranty too. Generally a reconditioned machine will cost about half of the price of a new machine.

Used Photocopier Prices

Second hand photocopiers for sale can vary greatly in price depending on many factors including: the model, age of model, usage and refurbishment standards will all have an impact on the price. There are many reasons a company may need to sell their office equipment, these include moving offices, ceasing in trading or simply updating their equipment. This means some of the equipment available may be hardly used when a company decides to sell it on, giving you a practically new machine for a fraction of the price. Companies making the decision to sell their photocopiers can be very beneficial for other companies who require a photocopier but don’t want to break the bank getting one.

Used photocopiers can also include refurbished or reconditioned copiers that have been fixed up and repaired ready for a new owner.

As with buying new photocopiers you will need to make decisions on the kind of model you require (monochrome/ colour, photocopier/ multi-function printer) and the features included.

You can expect the price of the machine to increase with the amount of functions and features they are capable of – a colour multi-function printer will cost more than a monochrome photocopier.

The table below will give you an idea of pricing when you compare the RRP (recommended retail price) to a second Hand Price:

Summary

Buying used equipment can be an excellent way to cut down costs in the office, you will be able to buy a photocopier that has all the features you desire at a considerably reduced price when compared to the RRP. The dramatic difference in price also means you could benefit from extra features that you would not have included had you purchased a new photocopier but can include and gain advantages from when buying a second hand machine.

When you are investing in a second hand machine make sure you shop around, find good deals and confirm the reputability of company and quality of the machines they sell before purchasing. As long as you take the relevant precautions you should find buying used equipment saves you a huge amount of money and does not sacrifice quality or efficiency.

See more of our in-depth review of brands here

• Xerox photocopier price guide – We explore pricing for Xerox machines in more detail
• Best Sharp Photocopiers – Sharp photocopiers reviewed, from low to high volume machines
• Top cheap photocopiers – A round-up of the cheaper but high-value machines on the market

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How Much Should I Expect To Pay For An A2 Photocopier?

Question:

How much should I expect to pay for an A2 Photocopier? It needs to be full colour and will be used for occasional prints so we are not too concerned about having a high print speed or a high paper capacity.

Answer:
An A2 printer will be the best option to be able to provide you with the kind of prints you are looking for. Generally, a decent A2 printer will cost you between £1000 – £1500. You can also find second-hand A2 photocopiers for around £400 – £800. The price alters based on the printing speed, capacity, photocopier size and functionality.

You can also decide between buying an A2 printer outright or leasing one. Generally speaking, the wide format printers focus on the quality of the print rather than a fast copy speed so you can expect a reduced copy speed when you are using any A2 paper size and above copiers. An example of print speed would be the Xerox 6024 which can print between 3-5 copies per minute.

Which Are The Best A2 Colour Copiers?

A suitable A2 printer for your needs is the Canon imagePROGRAF LP17, this printer has been designed to print signs, posters, graphics and any other larger prints you require. It includes Canon’s PosterArtist Software to assist you in creating as well as printing large signage. When you use a printer such as the Canon imagePROGRAF LP17 it gives you the ability to print eye-catching and impactful products without having to get prints made outside of the business. The cost of this printer or a similar printer will be around £1000.

This printer is able to produce an A2 print in just 20 seconds and the features mean you can adapt your print to exactly as you want it – an example of the available features is the vivid colour option and the borderless print option. You would also be able to use a range of paper types including coated paper, glossy photo paper, heavy-weight paper, matte paper, proofing paper and more when printing with the Canon imagePROGRAF LP17.

A second A2 printer example is the Epson Stylus Pro 4880, this printer is more expensive with a new machine costing over £2,000. However, you can buy one used for around £600. The Pro 4880 has been designed to meet the demands of professionals and is often used in photographic labs and studios. The prints are produced in vivid colour as well as stunning black and white. The photo quality of the prints is excellent and the printer can handle a range of paper sizes up to A2.

As these examples are printers and not copiers, here is an example of an A2 photocopier if that is specifically what you are looking for. The Xerox 6204 can copy, print and scan A2 documents but it does not have colour capabilities. The paper would be in a roll format and the paper capacity is one roll. When using the Xerox 6204 can use bond, vellum, tracing paper or film paper types.

This is a flexible and scalable product that is designed to have a small footprint to fit in any office space. This product is at the higher end when it comes to cost and a second hand Xerox 6204 Wide Format Black and White copier would cost around £7,000. You will find that high-end wide-format photocopiers cost in the region of £12,000 and can handle media up to 60 inches with a copy quality of 600 x 600dpi.

How Much Do A3 Copiers Cost? Should I Rent Or Buy?

You should also consider the ongoing costs of owning a printer which will include the ink cartridges, media such as the printing paper as well as maintenance, these costs will vary depending on how much you use the printer and the type of media you are printing. As we mentioned in regards to the Xerox 6204, rolls of paper can often be used in A2 printers and this makes it a lot easier and cleaner to do double length prints.

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Our guide helps businesses manoeuvre the contract landscape. We break down what you should be looking out for and common questions asked by customers looking to sign a photocopier rental contract.

A lot office managers are generally looking to cut costs where possible, especially if budget allocation is tight. Instead of investing in a photocopier that costs a lot of money that has a whole host of functions, it sometimes a wiser financial decision to rent a photocopier. At this point you you will want to consider what you require and what clauses mean in the contract.

Step 1: Know What You Are Looking For Out Of The Photocopier Rental Lease Contract/Deal

Before you take on the fairly large task of researching into the photocopier you are looking for, it’s a good idea to map out exactly what you want from a new rental contract. Some businesses have been using a specific brands for years (even decades!) and may look to stay loyal to them (Xerox being close enough to the ‘gold standard’).

Your requirements will vary between your businesses and other peoples so it’s important that the functionality is in-line with what your office needs on a regular basis. One of the crucial parts to consider once you have decided on which model/functionality is to decide what length of contract you are looking to commit to, these vary largely, the most common being 24/36 months. Generally, the longer the contract, the more cost-effective it can be.

Once you’ve done your research and whittled down your options (maybe keep a list), it’s time to contact different suppliers to see what they can offer. Shopping around is absolutely critical, finding a slightly cheaper contract (even on a monthly basis) could save you hundreds or even thousands in the long run. Ensure that you are dealing with suppliers who are trusted and have a reputation before entering into a photocopier rental contract.

Photocopier Rental Contracts – Common Questions

We get a ton of questions from our customers when we compare the photocopier market from them. The number one complaint we get is hidden fees, which can take a bite our of your capital at unexpected times. We recommend reading over the contract a few times to ensure that you know exactly what you are getting into, it’s imperative that small print is read! Some of the more specific questions include:

Do you have a preferred brand/supplier: You may already have a supplier who can provide you with the photocopier rental contract and you may be looking around to see if you can get something cheaper. You may also have a preference for a specific brand, this is not uncommon, as a lot of business owners have used their photocopiers for years. If you know which model you are after, it’s best to request a quote from multiple suppliers and specifically state this. It may also be a good idea to ask if there are newer models from the same range, be weary of any older models that have been deprecated/discontinued.

Brand new photocopiers vs used photocopiers: One of the most important questions when looking for a contract. Used photocopiers are usually significantly cheaper, if you can find one which is in great condition, it’s always worth having a look. Check your contract for which one is stated.

What happens at the end of the contract term?: Some photocopier contracts come with an in-built option to finance the photocopier and the option of buying out the piece of equipment entirely for you to own. The most common contract denotes that photocopiers must be returned to the supplier at the end.

Is there a contract clause whereby you can upgrade before the end of the agreed period? Almost like how mobile phone carriers give away early upgrades these days, some of the contract hire photocopiers may come with a clause that allows you to get a new piece of equipment without the hassle of terminating early (if you do decide you need something else).

Servicing of Equipment You Are Hiring: This is where a lot of people get stung on pricing. Ensure that there are no nasty surprises by knowing if you have maintenance or servicing as part of the contract. A photocopier needs to be maintained periodically, especially if you are doing high volume printing. You do not want to be left with the frustration of having to call up multiple companies if it breaks down totally either.

Auto-renewal: Is your contract set to renew automatically just before the contract ends? Much like a phone contract, some suppliers have a clause whereby the term gets renewed for the same period again automatically. One to watch our for in your photocopier rental contract.

Notice period & Termination: In the scenario where you no longer require the photocopier, how flexible is are the clauses? Do you have a notice period which you need to abide to? Are there early termination fees? Always check for these.

Finally Signing Your Photocopier Rental Agreement

With any contractual agreement, the detail is often where the most important parts lie. Every cost needs to be costed into the entire contract, if this means you need to personally whip up an excel document to outline costs and see a full breakdown – then go ahead. The last thing you want is to be shocked by an unexpected charge in the middle of the contractual agreement.

One of the factors which photocopiers buyers usually want to know is whether or not they are able to upgrade before the end of the leasing period. Nearer the end of the period, your business may grow meaning you require a larger photocopier, or one which can handle more paper. In this scenario you want to ensure that there are not extra charges, from the outset, if you do decide to upgrade. If it’s not already in your leasing agreement, you may want to clarify this with your potential supplier or even ask them to add in a clause (which you should be able to negotiate).

Once you have done all your due diligence and negotiated a contract which fits your business needs, you can have peace of mind knowing the exact cost and what your contract allows you to do.

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Ricoh now has a global presence and specialises in office printing products with an aim to modernise and optimise a businesses printing production. The company is well known for their reliable and trustworthy products and their high quality customer support services.

Aficio MP5000

The Aficio MP5000 is a powerful, high performance and multifunctional photocopier that has the ability to print, copy, scan and fax documents. The MP5000 is simple to use and produces professional results, it also has additional security features to make sure your private account details and sensitive data are protected.

You will be able to scan and send colour documents and you can copy documents at a fast pace of 50 copies per minute.

Specifications

The MP5000 has an impressive processing speed of 50 pages per minute for maximum productivity, the photocopier produces prints with a resolution of 600 dpi for crisp and clear results and you can get started in less than half a minute as the MP5000 has a warm up time of 13 seconds and the first output will take 3.5 seconds! You can use B6 – A3 paper sizes and the standard paper input capacity is two 550 sheet paper trays and a 100 sheet bypass tray, you can upgrade this to a maximum of 4,400 sheets.

The MP5000 has a standard 768MB of memory and comes with a 40GB hard drive too.

Features

The Alticio 5000 is versatile and can be custom-made to suit the unique and specific needs of your business. The features available help to make sure you have everything you need to be one step ahead with professional and efficient office printing.

You can scan colour documents and easily use digital means to distribute them via email or saving them to a network folder, this feature helps you to save time and money. You will have a range of professional finishing options more even more impressive booklets, reports and presentation material, the full colour touch control panel makes it easy to operate and access off of the functions – your most frequently used options will appear on the simplified display for even quicker operation.

The MP5000 has a range of security features including data encryption, authentication requirements and IP filtering, these are all in place to ensure your business is protected. The MP5000 is also more environmentally friendly as Ricoh uses toxic free materials, energy-saving toner production, paper-saving features and more to ensure the environment is cared for and considered too.

Summary

The MP5000 model is fast, versatile and produces impressive prints that have a professional finish. It is not only great for any office but also has a commitment to the environmental with it’s more eco-friendly features.

This high volume photocopier allows for optimal efficiency and quality combined with simple, stress free operation. The flexibility of being able to customise the model to your exact needs is also an incredibly useful and personal feature.

Ricoh Colour Aficio MPC2530 Photocopier

The Aficio MPC2530 is a colour photocopier that offers sharp and high quality colour prints at a speed of 25 prints per minute. This model uses new PxP toner to ensure every print is in perfect colour and is of excellent quality.

The MpC2530 is not just a photocopier, it is multi-function with the abilities to copy, print, scan and the option of faxing too. A wide media range means no matter what the job you will be able to do it effectively and with little effort using the MPC2530.

Specifications

You can expect very quick starting speeds with this model as the warm up time is less than twenty five seconds, the first copy takes less than 6.5 seconds to start for monochrome documents and less than 9.5 seconds to start for colour documents and then you can expect 25 prints per minute.

The MPC2530 has a standard memory of 512MB, has a standard paper input capacity of two 250 sheet paper trays and one 100 sheet bypass tray – this can be upgraded to a maximum of 1,600 sheets. You can print in both monochrome and colour both at a resolution of 600dpi and the standard MPC2530 comes with SmartDeviceMonitor, image monitor and DeskTopBinder software to make your photocopier easy to use and manage.

Features

The MPC2530 is able to print consistently high quality output no matter how long the jobs are, always at a resolution of 600dpi. The printer accepts paper sizes between A3 and A6 including glossy or coated paper and even envelopes or transparencies.

You can also do duplex printing without impacting the speed of the machine and you can select your settings using the simple to use icon-based control panel, the black and white and colour prints can even be organised separately electronically for convenience.

This is a very flexible printer that can be adapted to suit the needs of your business, and it is even more eco friendly too, the new PxP toner that is used to create magnificent colour prints producing far less carbon oxide emissions that a standard, conventional toner does, making sure the environment is as happy as you are!

Summary

The Aficio MPC2530 can produce excellent colour prints and help your office to increase productivity and save on costs too. The model can handle an array of media types and can be used for many different job roles, including faxing if you need it! High quality, productive and would fit in any office thank to its compact build and quiet running noise.

Ricoh Aficio MP6002

The MP6002 is a powerful, compact and user-friendly photocopier that goes above and beyond with more features and advanced capabilities.

This is a very fast printer can print at speeds of 60, 75 or 90 prints per minute. You can use it for printing, copying and scanning to help make any task simple, achievable and available in one place.

Specifications

The MP6002 offers impressive 1200dpi resolution for prints that are guaranteed to impress, the memory is 1.5GB but you will also have a 250GB hard drive to ensure you never run out of space.

As standard the MP6002 has two 550 sheet paper trays, a 100 sheet bypass tray and dual 1,550 sheet paper trays meaning the combined standard paper capacity of this model is 4,300 sheets meaning you’ll have plenty of paper on hand for even the large jobs.

This photocopier is fast, it comes with an automatic document feeder as standard and there are many additional extras you can include to adapt the MP6002 to the specific needs of your business.

Features

The MP6002 has an enhanced controller meaning you can have full control over how you work, you can even plug in USB and SD cards directly into the control panel to maximise the ease of use and efficiency. You can customise the homepage of the control panel so that it has your most used settings available straight away, the home screen works using icons which is a system we are all familiar with.

A very handy feature on this machine is the ability to schedule print jobs, this is great if you have really large jobs as it enables you to wait until quiet hours to print and therefore reduce network congestion during peak hours.

There are also many security features in place to protect your business, these include encryption, authentication and overwriting stored data. There is an enhanced batch scan mode that allows easy alternating between one and two sided document scanning and to keep track of print numbers you can reset print volume counters automatically.

In addition to the features on the machine there is also an app you can download that gives you access to functions that assist with enhancing and streamlining your workflow.

Summary

The Aficio MP6002 is a sleek, easy to use and customisable photocopier that is multifunction and has a vast range of functions. The end product will be high quality documents that are printed at a fast speed with minimal stress and time taken.

The MP6002 is an effective all round printer that will streamline and simplify the workflow in even extremely busy offices.

Aficio: The Final Overview

The Aficio range from Ricoh is versatile and flexible giving businesses many options to ensure they find the perfect match for their needs, customisation of the machines is available meaning you can add on the optional extras you require adapting the basic machine just for your business.

Ricoh is one of the most popular photocopier companies so you know you will be getting well made and high quality products. Ricoh also has a commitment to the environment which is reflected in their products as each one has features and designs that help to keep environmental impact low.

Overall they are fantastic products that will help to increase productivity and save on costs.

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