Andy Slawetsky sat down with Andre D’Urbano of RISO in this episode of the What’s Happenin’ Technology Podcast, covering everything from recent print shows in Europe to the growing impact of Production Inkjet in our channel. André had just returned from the Hunkler event in Switzerland—he was practically off the plane when we spoke—and he was fired up to talk about what’s ahead for RISO as we head deeper into 2025.
Production Inkjet Opportunities for Office Equipment Resellers and Copier Dealers
One of the biggest themes discussed in the interview was how inkjet technology is creating new revenue opportunities for office equipment resellers. The short-run segment is exploding, and more print buyers are shifting to smaller jobs that demand fast turnaround and budget-friendly color. Inkjet has become a great fit for these needs, especially for those printers who find themselves squeezed by rising costs for paper, labor, and postage. André emphasized how RISO’s oil-based ink—going on 20 years now in cut-sheet production—is helping print shops keep a lid on these expenses without giving up on quality.
Why It Matters
We’ve all seen dealers branching out from office MFPs into production. Many have already planted their flag in color toner, but André believes adding Production Inkjet to the fleet makes perfect sense. He highlighted RISO’s current lineup that can hit speeds of up to 320 pages per minute, has a relatively small footprint, and offers redundancy advantages if you deploy multiple units. Inkjet is a prime fit for manuals, booklets, and educational materials—areas that used to be dominated by black and white printing. With RISO’s latest finishing accessories, those booklets are looking every bit as polished as pricier color pieces, but at a fraction of the running cost.
What’s Coming Next
André touched on how dealers can position themselves for success in 2025 and beyond. Many of us are seeing the cost of raw materials and shipping continue to rise. Customer costs are skyrocketing and more print providers are looking to inkjet as a genuine cost-cutting option for transactional work and short-run color. Whether you’re a copier dealer or an independent office equipment reseller, inkjet is giving sales teams another tool to boost profitability without a massive learning curve.
SOURCE Industry Analysts Inc.
