enx magazine

Businesses are printing in color more now than ever before, especially between the twenty-five to fifty page-per-minute segments— the heart of networked copying and printing. These networked machines, priced as low as $1500, use "business color" toner products, meaning a separate black to bring the black cost-per-page more in line with monochrome copiers and printers. With the successful introduction by the OEMs of business color, it is no surprise that the growth-rate of color toner sales is the highest of all toner products. "The world is about to get more colorful, and we are glad to be a part of it", said Dr. Sue-Ling Wang, President and Chief Operating Officer of Color Imaging.

Dealers, are your customers copying or printing in color? Even those with low budgets could be. Founded to develop color toners, with almost two decades of toner research behind them, Color Imaging is also adapting to the digital market effortlessly. Their product line is, well,... colorful!

Color Imaging's "business color" offerings include toners for the Ricoh 3800C copier (and its Lanier, Savin and Gestetner equivalents) and the Ricoh 7000 printer. Also, look forward to the Canon C3200 copier, the Minolta 2002 copier and the Kyocera/Mita 2002 toners currently under development.

After perfecting black text, color, MICR, and specialty toners, Color Imaging’s focus is now on additional aftermarket consumables: digital and analog copier drums, fuser rollers, picker fingers, pick-up tires, exposure lamps and other parts. They stock cost-effective alternatives, guaranteed to perform with the quality of "OEM or better" according to Dr. Wang.

Color Imaging also has specialty toners that vary from thermal toner, used to print on metal trophies, to a ceramic tile color toner, and a toner that prints on license plate tags. Recently, Color Imaging introduced a number of 100% new, all-in-one toner and drum cartridges for Hewlett Packard, Canon and Brother office machines.

"For the products we carry, we set out to research everything for the distributor, remanufacturer or dealer, so they won't have to do it themselves. We manufacture, outsource and match the products so that everything works well together. With our testing regimens, we can say, 'If you use these components, you will get these results'", said Victor Lei, Product Development Manager and Outsourcing Director.

Great quality also means great customer service to Color Imaging. Offering dealers the best toners and cartridges is no challenge for this $21 million manufacturer. Additionally, they offer private labeling, same-day shipping (with distribution from Georgia and California), and technical customer support.

EIGHTEEN YEARS OF TONER HOMEWORK

Color Imaging has been manufacturing toner in Georgia since 1986. They started making toner for an OEM and its Colorocs copier. This early color product was not successful, so they began making specialty toners under the name Color Image, Inc. for their focus on color toners.

The company was founded by Dr. Wang and John Cooper, a well-known consultant in the 1980's. They formed a research lab of five chemists, and began studying the properties of color toners. When sufficiently knowledgeable, they entered into the manufacturing realm. At that time, color printing for businesses was not as affordable as it is today, but the extensive research finally paid off for Color Imaging in the last few years. "People have been promising us that color toner would become popular, and now, it is actually happening", said Dr. Wang.

In 2000, Color Image, Inc. became Color Imaging, Inc., a public company (CIMG.OB). Today, Color Imaging has over 100 employees, manufacturer’s representatives, and a wealth of toner expertise. Education and experience play important roles for those at the helm of Color Imaging: Dr. Wang is a chemical engineer, PHD; and Executive Vice-President and CFO, Morris E. Van Asperen, has an MBA and was previously Executive Vice-President and Chief Credit Officer of a national banking association.

This depth of research, education and experience is reflected in Color Imaging's extensive quality control procedures. Within their 180,000 square foot facility, Color Imaging maintains a research center where they formulate, produce, and quality control (including climate chamber testing) each product to deliver high performance imaging solutions for their customers' changing needs.

The development research conducted at Color Imaging for each new toner product is exhaustive. First, the characteristics of the OEM toner are analyzed and a small batch of Color Imaging toner is produced, then tested through the development process. At this point, it is compared directly with the OEM in every category and characteristic.

Print tests are made to ensure high quality printing; three batches of this toner are then tested again, extensively. At this stage, Color Imaging's sealed chamber is used, conditioning the machine, toner and paper, to create a myriad of climates that ensure the toner is top-notch in any environment.

When the product’s quality meets the performance criteria, Dr. Gouhoa Qiang, director of toner development, then sends the toner to full production under the direction of Dr. Claude Aubert, Vice President of Technology, where it is produced to precise specifications, each batch is tested by quality assurance in the machine.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DIGITAL FUTURE

Digital color toners: three words that have the toner consumables market poised for business. Companies able to afford the efficiency of in-house printing will surely search for consumables to meet their budget needs. The high cost of OEM supplies will leave many end-users open to the idea of aftermarket solutions.

"The market has rapidly shifted from analog to digital and now to color. That's an advantage to us because we are already producing digital toners", said Dr. Wang. "And, now, it gives us more opportunities because we have always developed color toner."

With awards from Inc 500 in 1995 and 1996, and being ranked as one of Georgia's top 100 public companies in 2002, Color Imaging has high hopes for the digital and color future. "We are impacted by digital and color printing and copying in a very positive way", says Dr. Wang.

Dealers, make a business color or digital alternative available to your customers, they will thank you for it! If at first glance Color Imaging doesn't have what you need, take them your customers' requests. That's how Color Imaging evaluates new products for development, your suggestions on the popularity/market acceptance of the machine. Color Imaging is always eager to expand their product line to please customers. They haven't stayed in business eighteen years any other way!

Contact Info:

T 800.783.1090

F 800.783.9810

www.colorimaging.com

Color Imaging, Inc

4350 Peachtree Ind. Blvd.

Suite 100

Norcross, GA 90620

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