Case Study - 6
Large PLC

The client, a major pharmaceutical company had the need to review both its print devices and how the processes in the production of documentation and its distribution. The consultation process defined there was a need for high speed print in both colour and in black and white, although the IT manager was keen to reduce the amount of unnecessary colour print. At the same time they wanted to be able to identify the amount of colour print from individual users.

The solution was developed around Canon iRC5185 colour photocopiers with network print and network scan and the use of Canon’s Remote User Interface for the IT department. In conjunction with the IT department rules were developed to reduce wasted print, reduce printing and copying of documents for distribution in-house and to make colour printing a conscious decision on the part of individual users.

The company now scans any in-coming hard copy documentation direct to a User(s) desktop via Canon’s Network Scan System (i-Send), rather than photocopying and distributing hard copy. This results in savings in terms of labour as the single scan can be sent to an individual location or a number of locations. At the same time there is no cost of print and no cost of paper. The IT manager estimates this is saving them around 5 reams of paper per month!

The iRC5185’s are set as a default to print in black and white and duplex as standard, there is no longer any wastage in terms of unnecessary colour prints or copies and in line with research by Gartner and WinMark a paper use reduction of around 40%.

Users no longer print directly to the device, they use Canon’s Mail Box system where the job is sent to a unique location on the copier and held until the print is actually required. This has saved wastage as the top sheet of one persons job is no longer picked up by another and then discarded meaning no reprints of jobs. Once retrieved the iRC5185i will print at 51 pages per minute meaning the document is delivered quickly and collated.

Finally a number of the mail boxes have been designated open and standard forms are stored here, including holiday requests, petty cash forms, time sheets and standard fax headers. These forms are no longer printed in bulk and then discarded as they become dog eared or revised. Instead each individual user can print what form they need from the photocopier. These standard forms can be printed even when there are issues with the network integrity. Introduction of this Print on Demand system has further reduced wastage and unnecessary print.

The Remote User Interface, a web based system allows the IT department to view the status of both machines at any time, identifying simple faults without physically going to the device. A report is generated at the end of each month showing how each user has printed or copied on the machine and allowing identification of overzealous use of colour print. At the same time new users can be added to the system and mail boxes set up with passwords etc. And if needed printing allowances can be set for any individual user should it be deemed necessary.

The quality of print and reproduction, the intuitive user interfaces and the consultative rule setting has allowed the IT department to fully implement the cost savings demanded at board level, and has further allowed a cost reduction to take place in 3 key areas, reduced labour time, reduced paper costs and reduced print cost. This has been achieved and the physical cost of print savings has exceeded the original estimates by around 20%.