HP Quits Pagewide and Resellers React

HP Quits Pagewide and Resellers React

According to channelpartner.de, HP is quitting its A3 and A4 innovative Pagewide inkjet printer program.

And according to Ray Stasieczko (pictured), distributors and resellers are reacting negatively to the news.

“Given these printers are more economical to run, in a market that is declining, this product is probably seen by HP to be destroying their business model,” Stasieczko said. “It seems that HP can not deliver A3 as well as they aspired to do.”

Almost ten years after being introduced to the office segment, the whole range looks to be completely discontinued having been considered to be more economical, more energy-efficient and lower in emissions than comparable laser printers.

According to HP, the decision was made to simplify and optimize its print portfolio and future investments. “For this reason, we will concentrate future investments on our LaserJet portfolio of A4 and A3 hardware and discontinue the sale of the PageWide A3 and A4 office printing portfolio products”, said HP spokesman Heiko Witzke to ChannelPartner.

HP assures PageWide customers that they will continue to sell parts and consumables for five years after the product’s withdrawal to support the installed base of the PageWide A3 and A4 products.

Resellers’ React

The decision has left HP partners feeling upset and disappointed. In projects in which inkjet devices are explicitly required, HP partners will probably no longer be able to score points. Dealers must now try to make HP laser printers attractive to their customers, or switch to products from the competition.

“I was very surprised by this announcement. Big shift from HP’s office strategy and messaging for the last 5 years,” said Lisa Brown.

“For years one has tried to advertise business ink technology to customers, and now you have to tell the opposite again,” says another annoyed HP partner.

Another reseller thinks it is “personally a shame” that the PageWide series is being discontinued in the office environment, “especially in view of the fact that the manufacturer is particularly committed to sustainability, which in my opinion is what the PageWide devices are for, they have made a not inconsiderable contribution, at least in the German market, “says the boss of a systems house specializing in printing solutions. He is sceptical that the remaining inkjet devices and laser models will fill this gap in the future. “Especially in the field of energy efficiency, that shouldn’t be easy,” he predicts.

“I assume that Epson, in particular, will win here,” said one dealer in conversation with ChannelPartner. Epson, Canon and Brother are deemed to be the only major players remaining in inkjet technology. Lexmark also abandoned inkjet back in 2012.

“It appears that HP still struggles with understanding added value resellers,” Stasieczko added. “I am thinking that HP needs new blood (leadership). The delivery of the future to the present seems still past their reach. HP’s investors will one day wake up to the reality they have been investing in the hype.”

HP is still advertising its business inkjet printers with the company’s own PageWide technology on the company’s website.

Related:

• HP to Close Manufacturing Operations in Puerto Rico
• HP Releases Wolf Security to Protect Printer Users
• HP Stops Printer Production in China and Sells to Foxconn
• HP Acquires Samsung’s Printer Business for $1.05 Billion
• HP Endorses Remanufacturing – are you paying attention?

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