Print.IT Reseller - April 2015 - page 33

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PRINT
IT
RESELLER.UK
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GET THE REAL DEAL WHEN IT COMES TO RIBBONS
Not all ribbons are the same and
Nigel Wilson, General Manager of
Reflex Labels Systems division,
explains why using only Toshiba TEC
products in its labelling and barcode
printers is the only way to guarantee
performance, reliability and the best
possible quality.
Warren Buffett, the great American entrepreneur, investor and
philanthropist, once declared, ‘Price is what you pay. Value is what
you get.’ When he uttered these wise words it would be fair to assume
that he didn’t have thermal transfer printer ribbons in mind, yet when it
comes to purchasing these items, they are perfectly apt.
When manufacturers make claims about the superiority of their own
consumables, compared to cheaper compatible products, it’s often
met with cries of ‘they would say that, wouldn’t they?’ However, as an
experienced user of ribbons from a variety of sources, as well as a
Toshiba TEC value added reseller (VAR), I firmly believe that the
company’s own brand ribbons offer unrivalled performance,
consistency, quality and value.
The ribbon sector has changed considerably over the last 15 years or
so. Before then they were primarily produced in Europe and, with a few
exceptions, the quality was good. Then, imports from China and the
Far East started to appear and while the price was attractive, the
quality left a lot to be desired. In recent times, although the general
standard of compatible products has improved slightly, if you’re
thinking about using them in Toshiba TEC’s labelling and barcode
printers, take my advice and think again.
One of the most common reasons why people fall into the trap of
buying compatible ribbons is the initial cost. We all like to find a
bargain but, quite simply, compatible ribbons are a false economy.
Compared to the genuine article, they tend to be only around 10 per
cent cheaper and with the average product costing £6, this equates to
a saving of just 60p, a figure which pales into insignificant when the
additional advantages of a Toshiba TEC product are factored in.
Toshiba TEC’s ribbons are made with a high quality back coating,
something that is often missing from compatible products. This
coating is there for a very good reason, to prevent a build up of static
charge. In a thermal transfer printer, a static build-up can create an
electrical spike, which could easily blow the pins on the print head,
necessitating a replacement. With print heads costing anywhere
between £100-£1500 to replace, depending on model and size, this is
not something you want to do more than necessary.
It’s worth pointing out here that Toshiba TEC is so confident about the
quality of its ribbons and print heads that, while its competitors have
component warranties of just 25km, the Toshiba TEC B-SX series of
industrial label printers has a warranty of 100km. Over the course of a
10-year lifespan of the printer (if the print head had to be changed
every 25km), this could add up to having to spend up to £16,000
compared to a Toshiba TEC printer of £5,600. In fact, Toshiba TEC’s
print heads often last a lot longer and we recently changed one that
had operated perfectly for an exceptional 901km.
As well as looking after over 1,000 printers in the UK as part of
managed service contracts, Reflex Systems also runs its own bureau
and carries out printing services on behalf of many organisations. 95
per cent of our customers are based in the food industry – a sector
that has no tolerance for poor quality printed barcodes.
If a barcode is unreadable then a retailer can fine the supplier for non
compliant barcodes. It’s a risk that’s simply not worth taking and a
Toshiba TEC ribbon will offer a level of reliability, reliance and lower
total cost of ownership (TCO) that a compatible product can’t. It
makes sense for us too, as any downtime we experience could lead to
us contravening our service level agreements (SLAs).
Many other industries also benefit from Toshiba TEC’s high standards
of innovation. For example, the company’s new range of near edge
resin ribbons are specifically designed for marine use and meet the
stringent requirements of BS 5609, which sets out various durability
criteria including adhesive performance, print permanence and
abrasion resistance, stipulating minimum standards.
Using the right ribbon for the application is vital and yet there is often a
lack of knowledge about this issue. It’s why technical support is vital
and Toshiba TEC has experts who can always recommend the right
solution for an application.
It might come as a surprise to learn that reliability of supply is an
important consideration too. A core component of a printer ribbon is
polyester. Four years ago there was a worldwide shortage, due to
manufacturers of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels using all the available
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to produce their goods. Yet despite
this, Toshiba TEC ensured supply throughout this period and it’s full
range of sizes, grades and colours was available.
Don’t be fooled by low initial cost. Compatible ribbons might look like
a good deal initially but when it comes to performance, consistency,
TCO and the ability to protect an investment, they will prove to be
sadly lacking. On the other hand, if you buy Toshiba TEC ribbons and
other consumables, you can feel confident that they have been
designed to meet the highest standards using the best quality
materials.
For more information on
the benefits of Toshiba
TEC’s ribbons, call:
0843 2244944
or email:
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