Keypoint Intelligence recently wrapped up testing on several of Ricoh’s third-generation GreenLine Series multifunction printers (MFPs), which are the first remanufactured imaging equipment to achieve ENERGY STAR qualification.
This possibility emerged from a recent update of the ENERGY STAR Specifications for Imaging Equipment (Version 3.1) issued by the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA), which now allows certification of a product that has been returned to a “like new” state of the base model, including with energy performance by the manufacturer utilizing new and/or reused components from the OEM. In addition, Keypoint Intelligence’s accreditation as a third-party lab to perform ENERGY STAR testing makes this a perfect partnership!
For those of you unclear of the difference between remanufacturing and refurbishing, “remanufacturing” is the rebuilding of a product to specifications of the original manufactured product using a combination of reused, repaired, and new parts. On the other hand, “refurbishing” is the distribution of products (usually electronics and electricals) that have been previously returned to a manufacturer or vendor for various reasons.
Testing of Ricoh’s GreenLine Series is not new for Keypoint Intelligence. We began in 2016 with an aim to retain remanufactured devices on bliQ. Ricoh’s GreenLine Series MFPs that achieved ENERGY STAR certification also went through full performance testing in our Fairfield lab, including reliability testing. Additionally, numerous facets of image quality and functionality are assessed to ensure that we can give these devices the remanufactured rating. In addition, our relationship with Ricoh and energy testing goes back even further to 2010, when we established our internal energy test program. Since that time, Keypoint Intelligence has maintained annual accreditation to the ISO 17025:2017 standard as a third-party test lab, enabling us to conduct energy testing per ENERGY STAR’s strict requirements.
Ricoh takes multiple approaches in the area of resource conservation, one of which is maximizing the equipment’s life by remanufacturing (thanks to Ricoh’s Design for Environment product development philosophy). Ricoh’s GreenLine remanufactured imaging equipment provides economic and environmental savings. Ricoh is a differentiator, having set a very high bar for remanufacturing in a dedicated facility producing as-new quality products that carry the same warranty as virgin products. All imaging equipment is processed and tested to rigorous quality and safety standards, including extensive parts replacement, firmware updates, data cleansing, and HiPot electrical safety testing. All functionality remains on GreenLine as if it was new (Ricoh’s Remanufacturing EcoCenter maintains certifications to ISO9001:2015 and ISO14001:2015 standards), and Ricoh’s GreenLine products are distributed throughout North America as well as in several Latin American countries.
The EPA’s decision to extend the ENERGY STAR label to cover remanufactured devices is one further step in the tide of recent announcements around sustainability, which illustrates how the industry is stepping up to prove that they are embracing carbon neutrality, resource conservation, energy saving, and overall accountability on ecology. Media attention and public pressure such as the recent COP26 summit has very much shifted the action on sustainability to executive level and many customers demand more ways to give back to the planet. And whilst refurbishing and remanufacturing used to be very common in the production print space, it is the new attention to sustainability and proving sustainable actions that is causing more vendors to consider this in the office space.
We expect to see more activity around remanufacturing especially given the shake-up of the traditional office because of the pandemic. What's more, the EPA ran a holiday promotion that began on November 29, 2021, called the “Twelve Days of ENERGY STAR Toolkit” for partners to leverage social calendar activities.
Subscribers to our Office CompleteView Advisory Service can log in to the InfoCenter to view the most recent Market Insights on Sustainability as well as more research and reports on the topic. If you’re not a subscriber, just send us an email at sales@keypointintelligence.com for more info.