AURA 7000 thermal receipt printer offers affordability & performance

     The new AURA 7000 thermal receipt printer by POSIFLEX offers the performance, innovation, and affordability that you have come to expect. The high-resolution thermal print head provides quiet operation and the ability to print detailed graphics and bar codes for use in various applications.
     The AURA clamshell design allows for easy drop-in paper replacement with auto-feed functionality.
     Settings include partial or full auto-cut capability and can control two cash drawers.
     An integrated image registration function (2MB of flash memory) allows for downloading and storing special character patterns and graphic logos. Optional features includes a wall mount bracket, selection of 24-dot or 16-dot font modes, color choice of Beige or Charcoal and support of extended print modes.
     The AURA 7000 offers high-speed and resolution thermal printing 8 dots/mm and 512 dots/line.
     It is lghtweight, low noise and compact, with a drop-and-load structure design for easy paper loading and print head cleaning.
     It also has a built-in character registration function with 2MB flash memory for downloading and storing special character pattern or graphics image.
     Posiflex (www.posiflex.com.tw), was founded in 1984 as a PC and PC peripherals design and manufacturing company, transferred to POS Industry in 1991, who has now evolved and grown to become a world leader in design and manufacturing of POSIFLEX POS Terminals and POS related peripherals.
     POSIFLEX designs and manufactures all “POSIFLEX” brand products in its own ISO 9001/9002/14001 certified laboratory and factories in Taiwan.
     Its products have been honored by many national and international Awards and with over 30 patents worldwide, covering secure, integrative, flexible, and easy-to-use features.

SMBs in India to spend US$1.3B on printers & printing supplies

     Small and medium businesses (up to 999 employees) in India are on track to spend US$1.3 billion on printers and printing supplies this year, up a healthy 16 percent over last year.
     Over three fourths of this spending comes from small businesses (SBs, or companies with up to 99 employees) according to the latest study by New York-based Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, Inc.
     “Increasing competition and globalization has forced SMBs to become more quality conscious,” says Swati Sasmal, senior manager for Research & Consultancy at AMI Partners, “which has resulted in increased focus on their quality of print outputs and printer usage. High-end printers like lasers are a key trend that can be highlighted as a result of this quality-conscious focus.”
     But greater laser printer usage by SMBs has hurt the inkjet. AMI findings reveal that around two thirds of SBs and half of MBs use laser printers.
     Some factors driving laser printer use are increased levels of networking and networked printers among India SMBs, and the gradual drop in laser printer prices—resulting in a reduction of the price differential with inkjets.
     “The retail and healthcare segments are driving printer spending in India,” Ms. Sasmal says. “This explains the rise in vertical-specific and need-specific printer usage, for instance POS-based printers (for retail), and label & barcode printers (for manufacturing/ logistics).”
     Some of the applications of printers in the healthcare arena include patient wristbands during admission, marking of samples, and billing.
     An interesting trend has been the growth of thermal printers.
     This has been driven mainly by the overall growth of retail and rapidly increasing customer footfall within the retail segment.
     A need for high-speed POS/bill printers that can enable better customer servicing and reduce waiting times has spurred thermal printer usage. Low-cost imports of thermal printers from neighboring countries are also adding to the growth and usage of thermal printers.
     Although more SMBs are using new generation printers, the dot-matrix printer still remains an important component within the overall India SMB printer market and accounts for a significant share of total printer shipments.
     However, this market is anticipated to remain stagnant and show a sluggish growth in the near future.
     Single-function printer usage is on the wane SMBs are preferring multi-function/all-in-ones due to their increased versatility at an affordable cost.
     Although nearly 60 percent of Indian SMBs purchase new, original manufacturer-branded cartridges, a significant proportion still use refilled or re-manufactured cartridges. The retail channel remains the preferred mode for printer supply replenishment for SBs as mentioned by 45 percent of SBs, whereas value-added resellers are preferred by the MBs (or companies between 100 and 999 staff).
     The local printer supply vendor is a vital influencer and often acts as a valuable source of advice and information regarding choice of nature and brand of printers—this is applicable mainly for SBs.
     Hewlett-Packard continues to lead the market in the Indian SMB printer space. Its wide range of products in both the mono and color categories has helped it to maintain the market leadership. Other players like Epson, Samsung, and Canon are behind market leader HP, but are gradually gaining market share. Further, new foreign players like Brother and Ricoh, with their aggressive marketing plans, may pose a challenge for the market leaders.
     The focus of most printer vendors has gradually shifted from metros to B & C class cities thus boosting the growth of printers in these areas.
     AMI’s 2007 India Small Business Overview and Comprehensive Market Opportunity Assessment and 2007 India Medium Business Overview and Comprehensive Market Opportunity Assessment studies highlight these and other major trends in the context of current/planned IT, Internet and communications usage and spending.
     Products and services covered include established and emerging hardware, software, applications and business process solutions.
     Based on AMI’s annual surveys of SMBs in Sri Lanka, the studies track a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to budgets, purchase behaviors, decision influencers, channel preferences, outsourcing, service and support.
     Also covered are detailed firmographics and critically important technology attitudes and strategic planning priorities. This data points to key opportunities and messaging hot buttons for vendors and service providers seeking to match their offerings to SMB market requirements.
     For more information about this study, visit the AMI website at www.ami-partners.com. communications and business services.