Toshiba TEC’s erasable toner technology helps MVRRS reduce waste and save money
Toshiba TEC’s erasable toner technology helps MVRRS reduce waste and save money
Mountain View Residential and Respite Services (MVRRS) is a leading sub-contract training provider working with two of the largest prime contract training providers in Wales, specialising in the health and social care sector. Since it formed in 2010, thousands of individuals have been able to progress their careers by obtaining QCF, NVQ, VRQ and other essential skills qualifications, thanks to the expert teaching and guidance offered by MVRRS’ team of trainers and assessors. MVRRS is currently looking to expand its provision and, as an approved supplier to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), is exploring opportunities to provide training services throughout England.
The company operates out of a recently refurbished 4,808ft2state-of-the-art teaching facility in Newport City Centre, with another facility in Cleppa Park on the outskirts of Newport, less than 3 miles from Cardiff for its administration and management teams. It adopts best practice in all areas of its business and has a strict corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy, which has been externally recognised through a Green Dragon Environmental Management Standard Award and a Plan-It Eco Award.
Tracy Lindique, Lead Tutor at MVRRS, takes up the story and says, ‘We do all we can to give students access to the information that will help them succeed on their chosen course. Much of this tends to be via the Internet, which is an excellent resource but often results in anything up to 10 pages being printed in order to get a single piece of information. Therefore, although we recycled the waste paper, it was still a cause for concern but we didn’t know what more we could do to address the problem.’
MVRRS has been a customer of Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems since 2012 and has benefitted enormously from the extensive use of its industry leading multifunction products (MFPs). In late 2013, Toshiba TEC’s sales executive, Antony McCarthy, was in discussions with MVRRS about a new MFP for the administration and management office. He explains, ‘I was visiting the company primarily to discuss the purchase and installation of a new e-STUDIO MFP and while arranging this, I spoke to Chris Churcher, one of MVRRS’ directors, who mentioned the issue of paper wastage at the teaching facility. I told him about our new e-STUDIO306LP Eco-MFP with its unique erasable toner technology and its associated e-STUDIO RD30 eraser unit. Chris was very interested and we agreed a two-week trial of the machine.’
Toshiba TEC’s Eco-MFP sets new standards in office waste reduction and cost savings. As well looking like a typical MFP and using standard copier paper, it has one massive difference – when used paper is fed into the eraser unit it heats the toner, virtually erasing the print and providing a blank sheet to use again. Just as importantly, if the same piece is used five times paper usage is cut by up to 80 per cent, saving businesses huge amounts of money. It even converts the contents of a document into an electronic file, which is stored in a document management system (DMS). Individuals can then access it from any location and amend it as part of a workflow.
Commenting on the drivers behind the development of this device, Jeremy Spencer, Toshiba TEC’s marketing director, says, ‘The paperless office is far from a reality and business people are still printing in vast quantities. It is estimated that 70 per cent of office waste is made up of paper and the average office worker gets through up to 50 sheets a day.’
The trial took place in May 2014 and it was a resounding success. When it finished Lindique and her team were invited to provide feedback about their experiences with the MFP. All agreed that there was no discernable difference from using the previous e-STUDIO256SE and that users were responsive to putting any waste paper in the recycling bins provided.
Furthermore, during the trial MVRRS tasked one of its learners to establish the level of cost savings that that could be achieved over the course of a year. The figures were impressive and the student calculated that a ream of paper could be saved every fortnight at a cost of £2.50, equating to £65 over the course of a year. However, as each piece of paper can be reused a further five times, the final figure came in at £325. The student’s work on this project not only helped to identify to MVRRS the savings they were making, but also went towards attaining her qualifications as it demonstrated her skill in literacy and numeracy.
The benefits haven’t stopped there though and MVRRS made contact with the local newspaper, South Wales Argus, about the environmental benefits of erasable toner technology, which is now looking like it will lead to a press visit and coverage in the paper. What’s more, Chris Churcher is also using MVRRS’ experience as a way to generate interest in the company and help create new business with local and national government organisations.
Now dubbed ‘Eric the Eraser’, Tracy Lindique uses the Eco-MFP to make the waste paper fit for reuse on a weekly basis and she concludes, ‘Integrating the Eco-MFP into our day-to-day operations couldn’t have been easier, and staff and learners alike have completely bought into the concept. Managing waste is a key element of our CSR policy and not only is this technology good for the environment, it offers an excellent return on investment.’
Toshiba TEC has produced a demonstration video of its erasable toner technology in action and you can see this amazing new product for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r--y9VvSTyg
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