Print Strategy Project

Current Position and Issues

The University spends well over £2 Million per annum on printing activities ranging from a single-page e-mail up to the Prospectus.
Significant volumes are printed on local printers and copiers - in 09/10 25.6 million sheets of paper were used outside the central print unit.
The University has approximately 1,400 local printers (single function and multifunction printers, colour and mono).
This gives a ratio of 1 printer to every 1.9 members of staff - the industry recommends between 1:4 and 1:10.
We lease most Multi-Function Printers (MFPs - 'photocopiers') but purchase Single Function Pinters (SFPs).
The MFP fleet is maintained by the supplier during its time with the University and toner is included in the price paid.
The SFPs are purchased outright and only maintained whilst in warranty by the supplier, after that they are thrown away when ITS staff are unable to repair.
Toner and ink for SFPs are purchased by the University.
InkJet printers are a very expensive method of printing.
Colour printing is not controlled and is often inappropriate.

This project has been established to address some of these issues, in particular:

Have a single supplier of SFPs and MFPs with a single charging method
Agree a printer allocation strategy so over time the number of printers in the University is reduced
Replace the MFPs from the Canon fleet that will reach the end of their service life in July 2011
Introduce more MFPs that provide new functions - scanning to file and e-mail being the most useful
Remove very expensive (in terms of consumable cost and/or energy use) printers
Make cheaper colour printing widely available
Introduce software that will allow managers to track by job and user basis the printing and copying charged to their cost centre
Reduce the overall cost of printing