10 Multifunction Printer Vendors To Watch

MFP Growth

The office printer market is continuing its shift away from single-function printers and toward multifunction printers (or MFPs), according to research firm IDC. MFPs bring together functionality including printing, copying, scanning and faxing -- ultimately offering greater management efficiencies and reduced costs by combining so many formerly disparate capabilities into a single package. Some of the efficiencies come from the fact that there are not only fewer devices to manage, but fewer supplies for different devices to manage as well, said Keith Kmetz, program vice president for imaging, printing and document solutions at IDC. The transition toward MFPs is happening gradually, but the shift is expected to continue into the foreseeable future, he said. And major printer manufacturers have been helping to fuel the trend with an array of recent MFP releases.

As part of CRN's Printer Week 2018, we've rounded up the details on new MFP devices from 10 top vendors.

Brother

In January, Japan-based Brother announced its new lineup of printers, including several multifunction devices, for the small-business and home-office market. The new laser MFPs include the MFC-L2750DW and MFC-L2750DW XL, which offer print speeds of up to 36 pages per minute, paper capacity of 250 sheets, improved productivity via a 50-sheet automatic document feeder and cloud connectivity through a 2.7-inch touch screen. The MFPs -- which offer print, copy, scan and fax capabilities -- can also be complemented by automatic ink shipments including the Brother Refresh service.

Canon

Japan-based Canon unveiled a new multifunction printer for small and midsize businesses, the imageClass MF424dw, in March. The black-and-white MFP includes a 5-inch touch screen, scanning of documents and conversion into digital files using a single-pass duplex feeder and print speeds of up to 40 pages per minute.

Other recently introduced Canon multifunction devices included third-generation models in the imageRunner Advance II Series. The new models offer updated security capabilities -- including cloud authentication and advanced encryption -- along with productivity features such as scanning directly to the cloud.

Dell

Multifunction devices in Dell's lineup include color laser MFPs such as the S3845cdn, which offers print speeds of up to 36 pages per minute and works with Dell's printer management software, OpenManage Printer Essentials. The software aims to enable quicker printer setup and more efficient fleet monitoring for businesses, with features such as a dashboard with real-time data on printing within the fleet and better tracking of toner depletion. Round Rock, Texas-based Dell also offers higher-end color laser MFPs such as the C5765dn, which boasts print speeds of up to 47 pages per minute and a 110-sheet duplex automatic document feeder.

Epson

In December, Long Beach, Calif.-based Epson America announced the launch of a new high-performance A3 inkjet multifunction printer, the WorkForce Enterprise WF-C17590, targeted as an affordable color option to complement the higher-end WorkForce Enterprise WF-C20590. The WorkForce Enterprise WF-C17590 is aimed at small and midsize businesses and corporate workgroups, and offers print speeds of up to 75 pages per minute along with a paper capacity of 5,350 pages. The MFP also features scanning to the cloud and printing from mobile devices, and offers efficiencies via a 50 percent reduction in power usage compared with color laser printers, according to Epson.

HP Inc.

HP Inc. has been accelerating its push to capture share in the A3 market with a range of new MFPs. Along with bringing A3 multifunction printers under the HP umbrella through the acquisition of Samsung's printer business in November, HP has been busy launching its own A3 models. Those include A3 devices featuring HP's PageWide technology that offer print speeds of up to 80 pages per minute and come with security capabilities such as HP's self-healing Sure Start technology. In April, HP unveiled a new PageWide A3 model with external finishing capabilities that is available both for transactional and contractual deals.

Other multifunction devices recently released by HP include the LaserJet Enterprise 600 Series, with advanced security features and print speeds of between 50 and 75 pages per minute, and the Color LaserJet Pro 200 Series. The 200 Series MFP is targeted at small businesses and offers duplex printing of 13 pages per minute, which HP says makes it the fastest printer in its class.

Konica Minolta

Among the latest multifunction printers available from Konica Minolta are the bizhub C368, bizhub C458, bizhub C558 and bizhub C658. Japan-based Konica Minolta says the MFPs offer a boost to efficiency thanks to easier integration of third-party software and expanded paper capacity of 6,650 sheets. The multifunction devices also offer print speeds of between 36 and 65 pages per minute, standard single-pass dual scanning of up to 240 originals per minute, modular finishing options and a control panel that measures up to 10.1 inches in size.

Lexmark

Recent additions to the A3 multifunction portfolio at Lexington, Ky.-based Lexmark include the CX924, which Lexmark says is its fastest color laser MFP with print speeds of up to 65 pages per minute. The MFP also features a 10-inch touch screen, printing from mobile devices, scanning speeds of up to 80 pages per minute and paper capacity of 6,650 sheets -- the largest capacity in Lexmark's color laser portfolio.

Oki Data

The multifunction printer lineup at Irving, Texas-based Oki Data Americas includes the MC573dn, a color MFP targeting small and midsize businesses. The MC573dn offers print speeds of up to 30 pages per minute, print resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi, a 7-inch color touch screen, printing from mobile devices and advanced document security features.

Ricoh

Leading models in the multifunction lineup at Malvern, Pa.-based Ricoh USA include the MP C2004ex (print speeds of up to 20 pages per minute, paper capacity of 2,300 pages) and the MP C307 (print speeds of up to 31 pages per minute, paper capacity of 1,350 pages). Meanwhile, the black-and-white MP 4055 multifunction printer reaches print speeds of up to 40 pages per minute and features paper capacity of 4,700 pages.

Xerox

Recent multifunction device launches for Norwalk, Conn.-based Xerox include the AltaLink C8000 Series, which consists of color MFPs featuring mobile and cloud connectivity, print speeds of between 30 and 70 pages per minute, a 10-inch touch screen and security capabilities such as data encryption and disk overwrite.

Meanwhile, in Xerox's VersaLink series, the company's recent releases include the VersaLink C7030 Color MFP, an entry-level A3 device designed for small and midsize businesses and offering print speeds of up to 20 pages per minute; the VersaLink B7035 MFP, an entry-level black-and-white A3 with print speeds of up to 25 pages per minute; and the VersaLink C605 Color MFP, aimed at medium and large businesses and offering finishing options (such as stapling and sorting), along with print speeds of up to 55 pages per minute.