Cost Of Ownership

In order to work out the true COO you need to compare technologies in their entirety. Prices vary from supplier to supplier, but the components of the technology remain the same, which is what we’ve outlined below.

Costs can be expressed as an annual figure, as an amount over a certain period (e.g. estimated product lifetime) or, more usefully, for comparative purposes, such as the cost per 1000 prints.

Hot foil stamping

• Hot foil coder (initial investment)
• Hot foil tape (ongoing consumable)
• Engraved type (ongoing consumable)

Thermal transfer printing

• Thermal transfer overprinter (initial investment)
• Thermal transfer ribbons (ongoing consumable)
• Spare parts & servicing (ongoing fees in the form of a maintenance contract or ad-hoc)

Thermal inkjet printing

• Thermal inkjet printer (initial investment)
• Ink cartridges (ongoing consumable)

Continuous inkjet printing

• Continuous inkjet printer (initial investment)
• Ink bottles (ongoing consumable)
• Make-up/solvent bottles (ongoing consumable)
• Spare parts & servicing (ongoing fees in the form of a maintenance contract or ad-hoc)

Labelling

• Print & apply labeller (initial investment)
• Thermal transfer ribbon (ongoing consumable)
• Labels (ongoing consumable)
• Spare parts & servicing (ongoing fees in the form of a maintenance contract or ad-hoc)

Large area printing

• Large area printer (initial investment)
• Ink bottles (ongoing consumable)
• Could require spare parts & servicing (ongoing fees in the form of a maintenance contract or ad-hoc. Fees could be avoided by using a zero moving component technology)