April 2010 – Oakland (NJ), USAColour toner and solid ink manufacturer Media Sciences International (MSI) has announced that it has shipped its ten millionth sold ink stick.“We are very proud to have shipped our 10 millionth ink stick – this milestone could not have happened if it was not for the support from our vendors, dealers, distributors and, of course, end-users,” said MSI CEO Michael Levin.“This achievement is a great example that we are gaining acceptance because of our focus on quality, intellectual property, service and an industry leading warranty. We look forward to building on this milestone, by continuing to develop innovative products that deliver the highest quality and performance, while providing a significant opportunity for savings versus the printer manufacturers’ brand.”The ten millionth printer ink stick shipped was for use in a Xerox Phaser 8560 colour printer.
The chairman and CEO of printer and copier maker Lexmark International Inc. received compensation worth $2.2 million in 2009, down 36 percent from the year before, according to an Associated Press calculation of figures filed with regulators.
Paul Curlander, 57, drew a salary of $1 million in 2009, roughly unchanged from 2008. However, last year Curlander did not receive any compensation in the form of stock and options. In 2008, Curlander received stock and options that were worth $2 million on the dates they were granted.
Curlander’s performance-based cash bonus tripled to $1.1 million from $336,000. The value of his other compensation grew 21 percent to $92,000 from $76,000. It included $65,000 in matching contributions under Lexmark’s deferred compensation plan.
In 2008, Curlander received a pay package worth about $3.4 million. Curlander has been chairman and CEO of Lexmark since April 1999.In 2009, the Lexington, Ky., company posted a profit of $145.9 million, or $1.86 per share, on $3.88 billion in revenue. Its stock declined modestly during the year, opening at $26.90 and finishing at $25.98. Lexmark shares closed at $34.57 Monday.
The Associated Press formula is designed to isolate the value the company’s board placed on the executive’s total compensation package during the last fiscal year. It includes salary, bonus, performance-related bonuses, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The calculations don’t include changes in the present value of pension benefits, and they sometimes differ from the totals companies list in the summary compensation table of proxy statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which reflect the size of the accounting charge taken for the executive’s compensation in the previous fiscal year.
March , 2010 -Xerox Corp. has opened a major research and development facility in India.
The aim of the Xerox India Innovation Hub in Chennai is to link Xerox researchers with academic institutions and industries to work on document management issues.
Those research projects include Xerox working with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras on using cloud computing to improve efficiency and economics of document services delivery and with the Indian Institute of Science on how machine learning and game theory principles can improve the performance of online service marketplaces.
Xerox also plans to open a showroom adjacent to its India headquarters near Delhi later this year where customers will be able to see the newest technology developments from Xerox research centers around the world.The document and imaging company employs about 6,900 in the Rochester area in digital printing press and toner manufacturing, R&D and corporate back-office operations.
Volkswagen has become the latest big firm to wear its green credentials on its sleeve by revealing details of its toner cartridge recycling.Volkswagen Group, the international vehicle manufacturer, has become the latest big firm to set an example when it comes to recycling printer ink, ink cartridges and toner cartridges.The Germany company has been making an effort to progress in terms of costs, energy efficiency and its environmental balance sheet by introducing a raft of new initiatives.
It has replaced more than 52,000 fax machines, printers, photocopiers and scanners with less than 17,500 all-in-one devices throughout its business and integrated these products into a unified IT infrastructure.There is also a new device which informs employees about toner cartridge levels which means that maintenance is carried out as needed and storage of consumables on site is no longer necessary.
In addition, toner cartridges are always changed in an environmentally friendly way without non-specialist staff needing to get involved.Klaus Hard Muhleck, head of group IT at the company, said: “The multifunction device project, which is now complete, was a major and successful step. And there is more to come.”
March 2010 Lexmark manufactures and sells laser cartridges primarily to business customers in North America and Europe. Laser cartridge sales are an important source of growth for printer makers such as Lexmark, HP, Samsung, Canon and Epson. We expect Lexmark’s laser cartridge pricing to continue to decline over time due to greater competition.
Importance of Laser Cartridge Business
We estimate that Lexmark’s laser business (printers and cartridges) constitutes 78% of the $34 Trefis price estimate for Lexmark’s stock. The cartridge business in particular is important for two main reasons:
1. Printer Hardware Itself is Low Margin or Loss Making
Many printer makers sell printer hardware at a small profit or sometimes even at loss in order to increase their penetration among business customers.
2. Laser Cartridges Have High Profit Margins
Low margin printer hardware helps to lock-in cartridge customers. This makes it easier for printer makers to make higher profits by selling more expensive proprietary printer cartridges to customers.