Each and every now and then an idea occurs that’s so common and straightforward that it’s difficult to refute it. If you’re trying to cut down on printing costs duplex printing could be the solution.
What is Duplex Printing?
Duplex printing is that the printing is done on two sides. Duplex printing can be automated as an option that is able to be used when the printer model can support this feature.
Printing in duplex (double-sided) mode saves money on paper costs and reduces the number of trees used to make that paper . According to a U.S. Navy study , the estimated savings from printing duplex is about one cent per page. It might not sound like a lot but, when compounded, the study estimated that the federal government could save $61 million annually. What’s more, it could save more than a half million trees.
Your company will not get those outcomes. However, changing the default settings of your printer to print documents automatically in both directions on the page could make more savings than you imagine in the long term.
Estimating the Cost Savings of Duplex Printing
Simply by changing this setting on your printers copiers, or multi-function machines, you can instantly reduce the amount of paper you use in your office by nearly half. What would that look like in actual dollars?
The statistics provided from the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) almost a decade ago might not be applicable to all businesses. In 2013 the EPA declared it was estimated that workers in offices produced 11,000 sheets of paper each year. Based on that number an office with 50 employees produced half-a-million sheets paper every year!
If the office had purchased 100 sheets of papers (the equivalent to 500 000 sheets) for about $40, they’d have paid around $4,000. Duplex printing could reduced that cost by half, and helped save the office about $2,000 per year.
Things have evolved a lot over the past few times, but the outdated EPA numbers don’t represent the current situation for the majority of offices today. Computing power online, content management systems and scanning capability and remote working have resulted in less printed pages. Perhaps your office can’t save $2,000 every year, but saving some portion of that will mean more cash in the bank and more trees in the woods.
Making this change in a simple way can be a simple method of putting money to your pockets while decreasing the amount of waste.
Related: 8 Free Methods to Cut Printing Costs Tips from the pros
How to Duplex Print
The majority of laser and multifunction printers manufactured in the last few years include double-sided printing options. Some printers are built with slower reverse feeds. Other printers combine sheets internally and carry out the process nearly as quickly when printing sheets with a single side.
Based on the printer you use, you might have the option to print either automatically as well as manual duplex printing. The automatic version is easier to use and requires no additional effort after it’s been set up. Manual duplex printing takes a little additional effort by flipping the page and feeding it back starting with either the short or long edge.
In general, the manufacturer’s default setting is that duplex printing is disabled. By enabling automatic duplex mode, you can ensure that all documents you submit to printers will print double-sided as a default.
To enable duplex printing on Windows-based PC, go to the Control Panel, then to View Devices and then the Printer panel.
Control Panel – View Devices – Printer
If your printer is compatible with the function, you’ll have the option of printing in duplex. An administrator of the network may need activate this feature in large office or workgroups. If you’re working with an Managed Print service like the Gordon Flesch Company, they can help too. From there it’s pressing on the print button.
Give the duplex printing method a go to discover the amount of paper and money you can save on your print projects. There are many other methods to reduce paper usage and promote eco-friendly printing Printing in black ink rather than color to ensure that more cartridges of ink stay from being thrown away.
Get additional tips on going eco-friendly In the “Go green with our Managed Print” infographic. Just click here to download your copy. If you require help in identifying other ways to save money contact us for an assessment of your business technology for free.
