Lexmark to follow HP’s touch screen printers

Lexmark was quick enough to react to HP’s Photosmart Premium printers feature the hit touchscreen technology. The company announced the launch of 8 web-connected all-in-one printers coming with 4.3” screens. According to what Lexmark said in the press- release about the new models equipped with touch screens, the company believes touch screens are a must for all all-in-one printers and the company will support this trend.

The main difference between Lexmark and HP touchscreened printers is that HP targets home users fond of stylish and well-designedall-in-ones, whereas Lexmark (with its MyTouch technology) focuses on
corporate clients. But the entry level systems used in the new Lexmark printers put them in the same range with HP touch screeners.

Aside from conventional features like ID card copy and RSS feeds, the new Lexmark printers come standard with innovative features, which include:

Vizix Print Technology enhancing speed and print quality. The technology is based on separate ink cartridges used in dependence of the user’s current printing needs;

WiFi 802.11n networks connect printer in wireless mode;

Power saving Eco Mode allows printing on both sides of the paper sheet;

Business card Scan can load the information from scanned business cards into the user’s address book;

Lexmark informed these printers will be in the USD199-399 range and will hit markets in September, 2009.

Picture from www.gadgetreview.com

Key words: Lexmark, touchscreen printers, new products, all-in-one

Lexmark's reboot in India

After restarting its operations in India, Lexmark launched a new offer of color laser printers, ink-jet and MFUs in India. Announcing its future plans, the U.S. printer manufacturer stated that while its enterprise products will be handled by its Mumbai-based national distributor CMS, the ink-jet and SOHO products will be the responsibility of the Bengaluru-based national distributor, Cyberstar Infocom. Laser printers and MFPs will be the focus area for Lexmark that had launched a total of 67 products for the India market.

These products are already sold in North America and Europe's markets. Kumar Priya Ranjan, Country Manager, Lexmark International stated, "Lexmark will adopt the indirect model for expanding its presence further. We announced the Lexmark value partner program in the month of May 2009 and have so far appointed seven to eight partners to resell our products in India. We will now look at increasing our partner base and take the Value partner count to around 100 partners by the end of 2009."

Until recently Lexmark's efforts were directed towards Britain and China but the vendor is now looking at strengthening its presence in Russia and India as well.

Source: Indian mass media

Key words: Lexmark, India, printers, market

Lexmark is restarting its operations in India

There have been 3 years since the moment Lexmark stopped its operations in India. Now the company intends to restart its operations in the country. The India operations will be headed by Kumar P Ranjan who has been appointed as Country Manager—Solutions and Services, and the launch of the operations is planned for June from Mumbai.

Key words: Lexmark, India

Static Control Components Inc. won the latest round of the battle with Lexmark

The online business source BizJournals announced that Static Control, a world-known manufacturer of high-end supplies for printer cartridges, won a new round in its battle with Lexmark. Essentially, the federal court ruling this week hurts, but does not end, a Lexmark program known as the “prebate.” That program has put a dent into Static Control’s business, which involves making and distributing parts and supplies for remanufacturers of cartridges for printers.

Under terms of the prebate program, Lexmark places restrictions on its printer cartridges. Users agree to buy the cartridges at an up-front discount; in return, they agree to return the empty cartridges to Lexmark. The terms of the deal are placed on the box the cartridge comes in, with users agreeing to abide by the terms by opening the box.

Lexmark says its patents on the cartridges allow it to enforce the terms of the prebate after the cartridges are sold to customers. A federal court in Kentucky had previously agreed.

But on March 31, the court overturned that ruling. The court ruled that the result in a recent Supreme Court case, Quanta Computer Inc. v. LG Electronics Inc., established new case law. The net effect of the Supreme Court ruling, the Kentucky court says, is that Lexmark can no longer claim any patent rights on printer cartridges once they are sold.

The court did rule, however, that state contract law may still apply to the prebate program, which would mean that the program is still legal. Lexmark, based in Kentucky, says it plans to continue the program.

This week’s ruling is just the latest in the battle between Static Control and Lexmark, which has ebbed and flowed like a heavyweight title fight since 2002. Lexmark originally sued Static Control claiming that Static Control products violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act – a law meant to protect copyrights in the technology world.

Courts disagreed with that assertion, giving a victory to Static Control in the realm of copyright law. But claims concerning patent law and contract law continue to this day.

Source: www.bizjournals.com

Key words: Static Control, Lexmark, patent rights, prebate.

Lexmark announced new laser MFUs

The U.S. printer manufacturer, Lexmark, announced the release of 9 monochrome MFUs in three new model lineups. All the new devices include printing, scanning and copying functions with optional faxing. Their price ranges from USD399 to USD999.


Lexmark X264DN

At the price low end, Lexmark offers the new X260 series, such as the X264DN, at the price of USD399. This MFU with the speed of 30 ppm and a 550-sheet tray, flatbed scanner and auto feeder targets individuals and small work groups.


Lexmark X363DN

At the middle end of the price range, the X360 series is represented by the USD499 X363DN multifunctional device. The new printer is 35 ppm speedy. It scans can be sent directly to any computer in the network with the Lexmark Network Scan center software.


Lexmark X463D

At the high end of the new models, we find the X460 series, such as the USD999 X463DE. This model targets small work groups and middle-size offices. It prints up to 40 ppm single sided or 18 ppm in duplex. The firs page out time is just around 6.5 seconds. The printer also has a 7-inch touch screen interface that can be configured for easier access to functions. Network scanning is also supported, but fax support is only available as an add-on feature.

Source: Lexmark.com

Key words:Lexmark, new products, MFUs, new models, monochrome printing.

Lexmark changes its inkjet division's name

Lexmark International executives told employees on Jan. 28 that the company is changing the official name of its inkjet printer division to better reflect its strategy and product offerings.

The Consumer Products Division, as it has been called, has been renamed the Imaging Solutions Division.

Paul Rooke, Lexmark's Executive Vice President, who heads the division, noted that since 2007, Lexmark "has been transitioning our CPD business from a low-end, low-usage consumer-focused business to a business with higher-value, higher-usage inkjet devices designed to meet the needs of small office/home office and small to midsized business customers."

Lexmark's inkjet division has struggled since the latter half of 2005 as customers bought the printers, which are often sold for little or no profit, but then didn't buy enough of the highly profitable ink to meet profit expectations.

Since 2006, Lexmark has walked away from 20 percent, and then 30 percent more, of its inkjet printer sales in an attempt to get away from those people who don't print enough.

It has focused product introductions on higher-usage segments, such as all-in-ones, which include scan, copy and sometimes fax functions. Plus, it's developed many wireless inkjet printers, which are often used by multiple computers, meaning more ink used per printer.

And the company is focusing its marketing dollars on countries with higher print usage.

Source: www.kentucky.com

Key words: Lexmark, name, Imaging department, printers

Lexmark's value falls: a restructuring plan is in place

Lexmark announced that the weakening global economic environment impacted Lexmark’s fourth quarter 2008 operating performance, which will be lower than expected.

The company’s earnings per share for the quarter have been impacted by several factors including:
• The company’s operating income, which was negatively impacted by significant currency rate shifts during the quarter.
• A tax benefit approximately offsetting in EPS the effect of the currency rate shifts.
• Increased restructuring related charges primarily due to the 2009 Restructuring Plan, which the company announced on January 14.

The 2009 Restructuring Plan is expected to impact about 375 positions. Lexmark expects the 2009 Restructuring Plan to be substantially completed by the end of 2009 and currently expects total annualized cost savings of $50 million when completed, with approximately $40 million in savings in 2009.

Source: lexmark.com

Key words: Lexmark, economic crisis, job cuts, restructuring

Lexmark to employ 200 in Budapest

The US-based printing and imaging company Lexmark is opening a regional service centre in Budapest. The centre will handle financial, marketing and customer care services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said Lexmark International Technology Hungaria managing director Emmanuel Jan.

The centre will employ 50 staff at the start, but another 150 hires will be made in the following year and a half.

The opening of the Lexmark competence centre in Hungary was supported by the European Union and ITD Hungary, the Hungarian Investment and Trade Development agency.

Source: hungaria.org

RechargEast's opinion:
Lexmark's interest to the Hungarian capital is probably due to the fact that Lexmark already owns land in Tatabanya, Hungary, where the U.S. company planned to build a printer plant. Until now there is no evidence that the plant is on operation. Still, it seems Lexmark is building a hub for its operations in Eastern and Central Europe in Hungary.

Key words: Lexmark, Hungary, regional center, Eastern Europe

Lexmark losing ground in overseas market

Accoding to Gartner, Inc. Lexmark lost ground in the first half of the year in markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Trade publication Channel Web reports that Samsung replaced Lexmark as fifth in market share in the regions.

HP remained the dominant leader with a market share of 44.6 percent, followed by Canon, 16.4 percent; Epson, 12.9 percent; Brother, 6.3 percent; and Samsung, 6 percent.

Source: Gartner, Inc.

Key words: Lexmark, Gartner, cartridges, printers, copiers, maintenance, toner, parts, inks, MFUs

Refill kit for Lexmark z13/23/25

Source: http://www.daascom.com

Lexmark makes its wireless printers popular via magazines

In the November issue of the well known magazine FHM targeting men the authors of the magazine published a vast material about the new trend of making printers cordless. The article went out under the name "Lexmark Popular. Revolution in wireless printing".

Lexmark is depicted to be the first to offer Wi-Fi technology for printing. Actually, the number of Wi-Fi printers offered at the market is over 16, the good half of which belonging to Lexmark.

In fact, the launch of a new line of Wi-Fi models of MFUs and printers is an idea from Lexmark to try to get over the difficult times the company is going through. The company losing lots of money and getting in the red really needed something new to remedy the situation. Wi-Fi printers seem to be such a remedy. Still, Lexmark must deploy a lot of effort and funds for an advertising campaign for these products.





A new Lexmark x4850