Sharp Provides Cost-Saving Solution to a Swing Set Manufacturer
Business Environment Challenges
Due to the pandemic, sales exploded for a swing set manufacturer located in Georgia, as parents scrambled to find something fun to occupy their children while the world had shut down. With playgrounds closed and vacations cancelled, the company was busier than ever, fulfilling numerous orders daily. And with each swing set came a manual detailing how to put the playset together, as well as warranty information.
Prior to the pandemic, the manufacturer had outsourced the printing of its manuals and had them stacked in cubicles in their warehouse. Unfortunately, as models were discontinued, they had to discard hundreds of preprinted manuals, wasting thousands of dollars a month. They knew they had to find a better solution.
Technology Solutions
The manufacturer contacted Sharp dealership Creative Office Solutions to see what solutions they could bring in to eliminate waste and save on costs. They were sold a Sharp Pro Series MXM1055 production black-and-white multifunction printer (MFP). The MX-M1055, which features printing speeds of up to 105 pages per minute, has a 13,500-sheet paper capacity. To meet the higher than normal demand, the company opted for the additional 5,000-sheet triple air feed large capacity tray that are connected in tandem for unattended operation of up to 10,000 printed sheets. This way, the operator can just hit start, and go on to do other tasks in their day.
The manufacturer had also acquired a company located in Michigan that manufactures sheds, so they had a shed placed right inside their warehouse to accommodate their new MFP. Being in Georgia, the warehouse gets quite hot in the summer months and the shed was able to be climate controlled, which is very important for the life of the MFP (and the operators).
Proven Results
In the first two and a half months after installation, the manufacturer’s new high-speed printer generated over 1 million impressions. With printing speeds of up to 105 pages per minute, they were able to print all of their manuals efficiently and ondemand, eliminating any waste, benefitting the environment and saving the company money. They also have a lot of added storage space in their warehouse now that the cubicles holding the preprinted materials are empty, which gives them more room for manufacturing parts and accessories for the playsets.