New “Supertank” Category of Printers Features Large Ink Reservoirs Setting New Standards of Convenience and Value for Color Printing
Long Beach, CA – Aug. 4, 2015 – Epson is transforming the $40 billion North American printing market1, addressing one of the biggest pain points for small businesses and consumers: running out of ink. Under its new EcoTank™ brand, Epson today unveiled five new all-in-one color printers featuring large ink reservoirs – what Epson defines as the Supertank category – that come loaded and ready for up to two years of prints without replacing the ink2.
EcoTank color printers combine the high-quality printers Epson is known for with dramatic in-box cost savings and ultra-low ink replacement costs. In addition, EcoTank printers eliminate the common frustration of running out of ink at inevitably the most inopportune time. Less ink refills also means less waste. When comparing EcoTank to a traditional printer, the ink included with the EcoTank is equivalent to about 20 sets of ink cartridges3 or more, depending on the model.
“The introduction of EcoTank marks a fundamental shift in the way we think about using color in business and in the home,” said Keith Kratzberg, Executive Vice President, Epson America. “Epson® EcoTank sets a new standard for color printing, convenience and value. We believe that our new EcoTank printers are well-positioned to take a large bite out of the small business printer market.”
Unleashing Color Printing
About 90 percent of the pages printed in the United States are printed in black-and-white, not color4. Two-thirds of those pages could be in color. Previously, a major barrier to color printing has been the cost of ink replacements. EcoTank printers are loaded and ready with up to two years of ink2 – and when replacement ink is needed, the cost will be as low as $12.99 per bottle, or $52 per set of bottles. For example, a standard home printer requires approximately 20 sets of cartridges to print the same number of pages included with the equivalent EcoTank printer3.
“Epson’s EcoTank launch represents a sea change in today’s printer market,” said Barbara Richards, senior consultant, InfoTrends. “Establishing a new printer category – Supertank – Epson is positioning itself for significant market expansion. The appeal of low-cost, hassle-free color printing in business and in the home has potential to capture a significant share of the market.”
EcoTank printers are part of the Supertank category, and combine the latest in advanced MicroPiezo® printhead technology with a large ink reservoir to create an entirely new printing system. EcoTank is available in five models for the home and small-to-medium business, offer a two-year limited warranty with registration5 have built-in wireless for easy printing from tablets and smartphones6 across a range of operating systems, as well as through Epson Connect™ solutions.
WorkForce® Pro WF-R4640 EcoTank All-in-One, powered by PrecisionCore® – for the small business, with an in-box ink yield of up to 20,000 black and 20,000 color pages7 and print speeds of up to 20 ISO ppm (black) and 20 ISO ppm (color) †. The WF-R4640 delivers Performance Beyond Laser™, producing print-shop quality prints with up to 70 percent lower total printing costs vs. color laser8. It features a 580-sheet capacity, auto 2-sided printing, copying, scanning and faxing and a 4.3” color LCD.
WorkForce ET-4550 EcoTank All-in-One, powered by PrecisionCore – for the home office, with an in-box ink yield of up to 11,000 black and 8,500 color pages9, high-speed, laser-quality black text, and print speeds of up to 13 ISO ppm (black) and 7.3 ISO ppm (color) †. The ET-4550 features 2.2” LCD, auto 2-sided printing, a 30-page Auto Document Feeder, and a 150-sheet paper capacity.
WorkForce ET-4500 EcoTank All-in-One – for the home office, with an in-box ink yield of up to 4,000 black and 6,500 color pages9 and print speeds of up to 9.2 ISO ppm (black) and 4.5 ISO ppm (color) †. The ET-4500 features a 30-page Auto Document Feeder, a 100-sheet paper capacity and a 2.2″ LCD. It also includes built-in Wi-Fi Direct®10, and easy printing from iPad®, iPhone®, tablets and smartphones.
Expression® ET-2550 EcoTank All-in-One – for the home, with an in-box ink yield of up to 4,000 black and 6,500 color pages9 and print speeds of up to 9.2 ISO ppm (black) and 4.5 ISO ppm (color) †. The ET-2550 features a 1.44” color LCD, PC-free photo printing with a built-in memory card slot11, and a 100-sheet paper capacity. It also includes built-in Wi-Fi Direct10, and easy printing from iPad, iPhone, tablets and smartphones.
Expression ET-2500 EcoTank All-in-One – for the home, with an in-box ink yield of up to 4,000 black and 6,500 color pages9 and print speeds of up to 9.2 ISO ppm (black) and 4.5 ISO ppm (color) †. The ET-2500 offers easy one-touch copying to get high-quality copies fast, and a 100-sheet paper capacity.
Pricing and Availability
The Epson Expression ET-2500 EcoTank ($379 MSRP), Expression ET-2550 EcoTank ($399 MSRP), WorkForce ET-4500 EcoTank ($429 MSRP), WorkForce ET-4550 EcoTank ($499 MSRP) powered by PrecisionCore, and the WorkForce Pro WF-R4640 EcoTank ($1,199 MSRP) powered by PrecisionCore will be available September 2015 through major computer, office and electronic superstores, mail order, including Staples, Best Buy, Office Depot, Amazon, Microcenter, Costco.com, Samsclub.com, Target.com, Walmart.com and www.epsonstore.com. For more information and availability, please visit epson.com/ecotank.
About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in printing, visual communications, quality of life and manufacturing. Epson’s lineup ranges from inkjet printers, printing systems and 3LCD projectors to industrial robots, smart glasses and sensing systems and is based on original compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises nearly 70,000 employees in 94 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental burdens. Epson America, Inc. based in Long Beach, Calif. is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: www.epson.com.
