The Remi Group, in addition to being the leader in Equipment Maintenance Management Programs, is also part of the ever-growing “green” initiative. The Remi Group’s headquarters in the Irby Building, located in the Ballantyne Corporate Park in Charlotte, NC, was recently awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gold certification is the third of four levels in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.

What does it mean to be LEED Gold certified? It means the Irby building was designed and constructed according to LEED Core and Shell certification standards. The building has a storm water management system, high performance roofing materials, water efficient landscaping, and was made with low VOC emitting materials, just to name a few “green” building features. The Remi Group’s space in particular is equipped with low flow faucets, urinals, and toilets, light motion sensors, and participates in the recycling program.

One might ask, “How does being LEED Gold certified help not just the overall health of the environment, but the employees who work in the buildings?” According to a study conducted by the University of San Diego and CB Richard Ellis, 45% of those surveyed reported employees in green buildings averaged 2.88 fewer sick days and 54.5% agreed employees were more productive in green buildings versus non-green buildings. The study also showed a 3.5% lower vacancy rate and 13% higher rental rates in green buildings versus non-green buildings.

One can conclude that employees who experience fewer sick days and who are more productive are rewarded more significantly at the end of the year, which increases overall job satisfaction, and in turn, increases motivation to keep doing well.

Not only is it economically and environmentally beneficial to be “green”, it improves employee moral as well. It is in everyone’s best interest to lower individual and corporate carbon footprints. It’s estimated that up to 30% of energy is wasted by businesses and energy waste makes up a large portion of the carbon footprint. Both individuals and businesses can make small changes that can make a big difference in reducing carbon emissions. Changes include, but are not limited, to turning lights off when leaving a room, unplugging equipment when not in use, reusing scrap paper or printing double-sided, using LED lights, recycling ink cartridges or old office equipment, or using environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.

Everyone is looking for different ways to save money.  Why pay for costly equipment repairs that could have been easily avoided.  We have compiled a list of things that you can do today to avoid unnecessary repair bills for your electronic equipment.

Don’t Overlook the Obvious

If your electronic office equipment goes on the fritz, here are a couple of things that you should do before you call a repairman:

      1.  Make sure the plug is in at both ends.

      2.  Make sure that the equipment is turned on.

You may laugh, but nearly one-third of all repair calls are caused by overlooking these two simple steps.

Keep Your Owner’s Manuals

Most electronic equipment comes with an owner’s manual.  There is usually a troubleshooting section located near the back of the booklet.  This information can save your office valuable time and money.  If you don’t have your owner’s manual, many manufacturers put their manuals online for quick reference. 

Avoid Paper Jams in Printers

Fan your paper both directions before loading it into your equipment and always tap it on a hard surface to level the pages out.  Some machines pull the paper on the 8 1/2" side while others pull from the 11" side. Fanning the paper reduces the chance of jamming by separating sheets that may be stuck together.

Always use the correct paper size.  All printers have a minimum and maximum paper size that they will accept.  Paper that is too small is likely to get jammed and ripped when trying to remove it.

Don’t mix paper sizes in one paper tray.

Check your paper guides.  If they are too loose or too tight it will cause the paper to go into the printer at an odd angle.

Don’t use bent paper or paper with curled corners.

Store paper on a flat surface, away from heat and humidity- this avoids curling.

Not all printers work the same way.  Check your owner’s manual before you purchase paper.  Your owner’s manual will tell you what type of paper products are compatible with your printer.  Paper will be labeled for inkjet or laser compatibility.

Don’t buy cheap paper it can cause paper jams in both printers and fax machines.

A Good Cleaning

A good and proper cleaning can fix a multitude of problems.  Always refer to your owner’s manual for the proper cleaning methods for your electronic equipment.

Have any tips to share?

Modern day fax machines are known to use a phone line or email server to transmit messages from one machine to the other.  Would you believe that the first fax machine was invented in 1843--- 33 years before the telephone was even patented and over a century before the personal computer?

Alexander Bain, a Scottish inventor, patented the first fax machine, known then as a facsimile machine, in 1843.  The first machines used electric wires, similar to those used to send telegraphs, and clock mechanisms to transmit data from the sender to the receiver. Although revolutionary at the time, the first fax machines were bulky, inefficient, and not user friendly. They also produced poor quality images. After Bain’s initial model, several other inventors are credited for improving the fax machine and making it as innovative as it is today.

It wasn’t until the late 1960s- when faxes were sent over phone lines- that the concept really took off.  By the early 1970s, the number of fax machines in the United States had reached 30,000.  Between 1973 and 1983, that number jumped to 300,000.  By 1989, there were 4,000,000 fax machines being used regularly across the US.

Fax machines are still used in the everyday business environment.  Although they are being replaced by internet-based options, they still hold many advantages.  For example, they are strongly favored for legal documents due to their ability to transmit sensitive material that is not necessarily as secure when using the internet. The modern day fax machine is multi-functional- its capabilities include faxing, scanning, copying, and printing.

So you recently purchased a new computer for your home office. What are you going to do with your old computer? As we all know, computers should not be discarded into the trash. And most people don’t want an old computer sitting around collecting dust. So what are your options?

Sell Old Computer

Right off the bat, it might seem most appealing to sell your old equipment; however this is often more hassle then its worth. Equipment rapidly decreases in value, especially computers, so evaluate whether it will be worth your time to manage a proper sell before you begin. If you do decide to sell, research similar equipment on eBay and Amazon to find fair market value pricing for your used equipment. The longer you wait, the more the price will decrease.

Donate Old Computer

Donating old equipment to charitable organizations and schools can provide tax benefits that may exceed the expected value. Proper appraisal must be performed to meet the needs of IRS documentation and tax authorization.

Computers can be donated to one of the non-profit organizations listed below: 

Computers for Schools

Goodwill Industries

Salvation Army

World Computer Exchange

The following organizations accept various types of office equipment and other technology related items, including but not limited to computers: 

Gifts in Kind America

National Christina Foundation

Recycle Old Computer

Recycling old equipment can be difficult due to several states now requiring documentation from reputable recycling companies showing that the equipment was appropriately recycled. This is especially important when recycling computers because a color monitor contains four to five pounds of lead, which is very hazardous to the environment.

The following are two helpful organizations for recycling old equipment: 

Electronic Industries Alliance lists recycling centers by state so the closest location can be found easily. This organization also provides a list of questions to ask the recycler to be sure a reputable one is being reached.

Earth's 911 includes forums to inquire about your recycling questions and needs. This site provides the locations of both donation and recycling centers. Center searches are based on the type of equipment to be disposed AND the location.

Trade In Old Computer

When planning an upgrade on old equipment take advantage of the trade in programs that most major manufacturers offer. Trading equipment can reduce the combined cost of acquiring new equipment and the responsibly of disposing old equipment.

The Final Goodbye

Have the recipient of your computer sign an agreement accepting responsibility of the equipment. In the case of the computer being retrieved at a later date from improper disposal, you have documentation of the exchange to avoid inaccurate blame.

It is very important that you perform the following steps before you relinquish your computer:

1.) Retrieve your personal data by using a USB key, CD/DVD, or external hard-drive. 

2.) Remove the hard drive or reformat your computer to make sure your private data has been erased. 

3.) Review software license agreements to determine transferability to new equipment.

4.) Remove all company logos.

5.) Record the computer as “expired” on your asset list and cancel any service agreements that you may have on that piece of equipment. If you track information on an equipment disposal list, include the following information: serial number, description, method of disposal, and date of disposal.

Tell us what you’ve done to properly dispose of your computer. Share what has worked for you and what has been difficult.

Definition of a Laser Printer

A laser printer rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. The image is produced by the direct scanning of a laser beam across the printer's photoreceptor (an electronically charged rotating drum coated with selenium). Ink or toner is electrostatically picked up by the drum's charge. The drum then prints the image onto paper by direct contact and heat, which fuses the ink to the paper. Laser printers are utilized for their rapid speed in printing. The fastest models can print over 200 pages per minute (12,000 pages per hour). The fastest color laser printers can print over 100 pages per minute (6,000 pages per hour). Graphic intensity is usually sacrificed for speed.

Definition of an Inkjet Printer

An inkjet printer propels droplets of ink or toner of varying size onto paper. The ink is ejected through either a fixed-head or a disposable head as the paper passes by the head using a roller to move the paper along the contact point. There are three main technologies used in inkjet printers:  thermal, piezoelectric, and continuous. Inkjet printers are primarily used for photo printing, as the color intensity has higher quality.

Laser Printer Maintenance

Most laser printers use a toner cartridge that combines the photoreceptor or drum, the toner supply bin, the waste toner hopper, and various wiper blades. When the toner is empty, the replacement toner cartridge will automatically replace the other necessary elements. Some laser printers keep count of the number of pages printed from the last service date. On models without a page count, the user must keep track of pages printed or watch for warning signs like paper feed problems and print defects. Life expectancy of laser printers is determined by number of pages, not units of time. Color laser printers may require more maintenance and parts since they contain more imaging components. Maintenance typically includes vacuuming toner and dust from the printer, and replacing, cleaning, or restoring the rubber paper-handling rollers. Fusers may also need replacing, as it melts and bonds the toner to the paper. With the extra mechanics, a laser printer is often noisier than an inkjet printer.

Inkjet Printer Maintenance

The majority of maintenance on inkjet printers revolves around the ink and the probability of the ink drying up. Toners for color inkjet printers hold less ink, therefore need to be replaced often. If the inkjet printer has a disposable head it is supplied as a part of a replaceable ink cartridge. Many ink cartridges contain a microchip used to communicate the estimated amount of ink in the cartridge to the printer; however, these devices have been known to inaccurately inform the user on proper timing for replacement. The microchip is also included in replacement ink cartridges.

Information found in a printer manual is important and informative, but we are more concerned about your experience with laser and inkjet printers. Tell us about the best printer you’ve ever owned? Help us prevent poor printer purchases. We want to assure that you and your neighbor are getting the most out of your printer.  

The dilemma of purchasing refurbished equipment has Shakespearian importance. The initial cost savings is an appropriate reason for considering the purchase of used equipment that has been modernized and updated. The greatest concern in procuring refurbished equipment is rightfully the potential long-term expense of maintaining this piece of equipment as it ages. As technological innovations constantly increase, the need for up-to-date equipment becomes more of a necessity, so where does one find the balance between technological trend and cost?

Has your company had positive results with the purchase of newly refurbished equipment, or has the item become a money pit and exhausted funds?  Share your experiences…

Purchasing a cost-effective printer is an individualized process based on the anticipated usage of the device. The most common printers are inkjet printers or laser printers, so here are six items to consider before purchasing your next printer.

1.  How will the printer be used?  Will I need a color printer?

If you need a printer that produces a mass amount of documents with little to no color quality then a laser printer is the best option. However, if you are in need of a printer that can print quality color documents such as photographs then an inkjet printer is your best bet.

2.  How quickly will I need my documents produced?

A laser printer can print up to 12,000 pages per hour. The quality is sometimes sacrificed, but for simple letters, this is the best way to go. Inkjet printers take an “incoming stream of data and directly imprint it in a slow lurching process that may include pauses as the printer waits for more data,” according to Wikipedia, creating a leisurely printing process.

3.  Will I be printing conventional sized documents or elaborate pieces of varying size?

The requirement to store data in the memory before printing has traditionally limited laser printers to small fixed paper sizes such as letter or A4. Most laser printers are unable to print continuous banners spanning a sheet of paper six-and-a-half feet long, because there is not enough memory available in the printer to store such a large image before printing begins. The data received by an inkjet printer allows the device to elongate the time it is working on a project creating opportunities for various print sizes.

4.  Will I be using a lot of printer toner?

Overall, if a printer is cheaper in price, double check the price of toner. Some printer cartridges are excessive compared to the price of the entire device. Toners for inkjet printers typically carry less ink than those of laser printers, so if cost cutting initiatives are a primary concern with a printer purchase then the size of toner cartridge should be considered.

5.  How much do I want to designate toward technological maintenance?

Maintenance for inkjet printers simply involves proper cleaning to prevent the ink from drying. Laser printers are more technologically enhanced due to the speed in which they work; therefore have more parts that may need replaced. A laser printer will typically need its roller, drum, and fuser replaced. Printers with soft plastic drums can be expensive to replace, so if a laser printer is the best option for your company, consider purchasing a printer without a soft plastic drum.

6.  Will I be printing front and back documents?