21 - 02 - 2020
ARMOR Office Printing, which produces re-manufactured consumables as part of the intermediate-sized company ARMOR, is strengthening its leadership position in the remanufactured consumables market and maximising its policy of reducing plastic consumption.
Armor, a leading French company in the production of remanufactured ink cartridges, is consolidating its range of consumables, by transferring 100% of its inkjet printer cartridge range to its dedicated brand, OWA. In this way, OWA is strengthening its leadership position, by providing the market with a full range of remanufactured inkjet cartridges.
“In terms of technological capability, we are now able to offer our customers a complete range of remanufactured laser and inkjet cartridges. In this context, standardising the range was both a technical and a commercial task. However, we are now able to offer shorter procurement lead times due to our standardised packaging.” explains Gerwald van der Gijp, Managing Director of Armor Office Printing.
Environmental factors were also part of the reason for moving inkjet cartridges to the OWA brand. Cartridges that were previously provided in blister packs are now packaged in more environmentally-friendly OWA cardboard boxes, which are 100% recyclable. “ARMOR embarked on this remanufactured consumables adventure because we knew that we had the necessary expertise, but also because we are motivated by a belief that it is important to contribute to innovation, in order to create a more responsible society.” continues Gerwald van der Gijp. This belief is part of the DNA of OWA, whose leadership position within the market is accompanied by a genuine desire to reflect on the way in which its environmental impact can be reduced, beyond the mere production of consumables.
For the past 13 months, ARMOR Office Printing R&D teams have been working to develop plastic-free packaging. The plastic airbag is no longer used for the best-selling laser products in the OWA range, as it has been replaced by a cardboard wedge solution and a brown paper bag.
This approach will have various positive impacts, in terms of storage and even transport. The packaging has less of an impact on the environment. The impact is proportionally reduced by the same amount for each consumable. “By including inkjet cartridges in our “Stop Plastic” approach, we estimate that our consumption should decrease by 15 tonnes per year, in anticipation of future laws on plastic.” concludes Gerwald van der Gijp.
ARMOR Group is pursuing its eco-design ambition. By not limiting itself to using recycled materials or recovering co-products, ARMOR’s teams are able to optimise all materials from the moment of manufacture. In so doing, the group has become a pioneer in the logic of the circular economy.
