In response to shrinking work spaces and swelling rents, office technology companies are rolling out multi-function machines to maximise output and space.
Hewlett Packard (HP) is no exception, with its LaserJet 5Si mopier that can do the job of a printer, photocopier and collator.
HP's new marketing concept may help the company retain market share, said Yue Yean-feng, an industry analyst at Dataquest, a worldwide information technology market research company.
The all-in-one market is the fastest-growing segment of the hard copy market, with worldwide sales expected to exceed US$10 billion by 1999, says Giga Information Group, a United States research firm.
However, multi-function product sales are not without obstacles, according to analysts. 'These products are still in the introductory stage and the mind set is still for a single function machine. However, people are warming up to multi-function products,' Ms Yue said.
'In the long run it will save costs. If you are looking at office space say in Singapore or Hong Kong it makes more sense to have one [machine] versus two.' Traditionally, office workers print a document on a laser printer, then walk across the room to make duplicates, perhaps stopping for a chat along the way. Yet multi-function products like the 5si mopier combine document production steps.
Workers can conveniently create multiple original copies at 24 pages per minute from their desk and have it collated and stapled at the same speed as the average photocopier, said Vincent Chan, HP's product development manager.