Fit For The New Year: Oki Data Debuts Slimmer, More Affordable A3 MFPs

"What we heard most was 'costs,' " said Mike Garofola, senior marketing manager for color products at Oki Data Americas, in a ChannelWeb briefing. "The size is a nice point as well, but people are looking for an affordable solution that allows them to bring an A3-type of device into their [infrastructure] and the consolidation that comes with not having multiple devices."

Oki Data's new MC860 A3 color MFP series is targeted at businesses seeking a color MFP that can provide both A3 and A4 capabilities. Among many features, the MC860 harnesses HD color technology (including 48-inch banner support); allows full print, copy, scan and fax capabilities; offers print/copy speeds of 26 ppm in color and 33 in monochrome; can scan to USB Flash Memory, PC, fax, FTP, folder and e-mail; and has a duty cycle of 75,000 pages.

The MC860 series comes in three models, including a desktop standing model starting at $3,999 (400-sheet paper capacity); a floor standing model with one tray and cabinet, starting at $4,459 (930-sheet paper capacity)' and a floor standing model with two trays and a cabinet, starting at $4,739 (1,460-sheet paper capacity).

"We do have other A3 color MFP series," Garofola said, "but before they were only sold exclusively through our BTA [business technology alliance] channel and are more of a copier-based product that competes with other copier-based MFPs. This is the first tabloid A3 color MFP we've really designed for the 'Comdex' channel."

The MC860 series MFPs will be made available at the end of January through all of Oki Data's North American channels. Oki Data is targeting the MFPs especially at medium workgroup users and space-reliant, cost-dependent verticals such as education, manufacturing, retail, finance and life sciences.

"Print has surpassed copying in terms of functionality, but people are also looking to have more affordable output," Garofola said. "They're doing a lot more scanning, for document management. And while faxing is the function that's used least, when you do need it you have to have it. From a legal standpoint, a fax is still a legal document as opposed to a scan, and still very viable."

Garofola said to expect additional MFP announcements from Oki Data later in the year.