Epson’s High-Capacity Ink Tank Models Boost Printer Sales

Japanese printer OEM Seiko Epson reports net sales of ¥1,003 billion (US$9.7 billion USD) for its fiscal year 2013 (ended March 31, 2014), with a 17.9% year-over-year (YOY) increase. Net income totaled ¥83 billion (US$813 million USD) compared with a loss of ¥10,091 billion for FY2013.

Epson’s Information Equipment Segment, including printing systems, visual communications, PC and other products, reported net sales of ¥836.4 billion (US$8.19 billion USD). Net sales of printing systems reached ¥647.4 billion (US$6.3 billion USD).
According to Epson, “Net sales in the printing systems business increased. All categories of products benefited from foreign exchange effects. Net sales in the inkjet printer business as a whole were lifted higher by increased shipments of high-capacity ink tank models and by higher average selling prices, despite a decline in ink cartridge printer shipments.

Net sales from consumables also rose, as unit shipments increased. Large-format printer net sales increased due to a rise in average selling prices accompanying increased sales of high-end units and consumables.

Page printer net sales decreased due to a decline in unit shipments, the result of Epson’s focus on selling high, added-value models.”

Epson states it will invest more in its advanced PrecisionCore print heads that will “form the core of our next generation of office inkjet printers, commercial inkjet printers and industrial printing systems”. Also, it will launch more new models with improved functions and features.

Meanwhile, the OEM plan is to expand the sales of high-capacity ink tank models in emerging markets such as China, Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Russia. Epson predicts these models will take up about 30% of its overall inkjet printer volume.