Are Production Printers Worth The Investment?

In today’s competitive print market, commercial print shops are under more pressure than ever to deliver fast turnarounds, flawless colour matching, and consistent quality—all while keeping operating costs under control. Whether you're producing marketing collateral, custom packaging, wide-format signage, or high-end art prints, one thing is clear: your print equipment has a direct impact on your bottom line.

Production printers are no longer reserved for national players. Print shops across Canada are upgrading to digital presses for commercial printing to boost productivity, reduce waste, and meet growing customer expectations—without sacrificing quality or profit margins.

What Is a Production Printer?

A production printer is a high-speed, high-volume digital printing system built for commercial and professional environments. Unlike traditional office printers or light-duty print equipment, production printers are engineered for:

• Exceptional colour consistency

• Precision registration

• Long, uninterrupted print runs

• Advanced media compatibility (including textured, coated, and specialty stocks)

They also support inline finishing, variable data printing, and a wide range of configurations—giving your shop the flexibility to say 'yes' to more jobs.

Common Questions About Production Printers

1. What types of businesses use production printers?
   Businesses with high-volume print needs—like print service providers, marketing agencies, packaging producers, and in-plant operations—rely on production printers to deliver professional results at scale.
2. Are production printers worth the investment for small print shops?
   Absolutely. Today’s entry-level production printers are cost-effective, scalable, and user-friendly. They offer a fast ROI by reducing print waste, cutting labour time, and enabling new revenue streams.
3. Do I need specialized staff to run a production printer?
   No. Leading systems like the Ricoh Pro C9500 and Ricoh Pro C5310 are intuitive and backed by on-site training and local support, so your existing team can get up to speed quickly.

What Kind of Results Can You Expect?

Let’s look at a real-world example: A Canadian print shop, Little Rock Printing, switched to two Ricoh Pro C9500 digital presses and saw:

• $4,000/month savings in energy bills - Their previous printers required venting and constant humidifier use, driving up electricity costs. The Ricoh presses eliminated the need for venting and used less power, leading to immediate savings.

• 15% increase in sales - With faster turnaround times and higher-quality output, the shop could take on more jobs and keep customers coming back—boosting revenue without increasing headcount.

• 5% reduction in print waste - Better front-to-back registration and colour consistency meant fewer reprints and less material waste.

• Faster turnaround times - Quicker warm-ups, easier operation, and fewer interruptions helped the team deliver jobs faster and more reliably.

Read the full case study from Ricoh here.

6 Reasons Print Shops Are Upgrading to Ricoh Production Printers

1. Unmatched Print Quality

From deep blacks to vivid colour saturation—and even gold and silver toners—Ricoh’s 5th Colour Digital Station unlocks applications that turn heads. Your prints won’t just meet expectations—they’ll exceed them.

2. Faster Turnaround Times

Speed matters in print. Ricoh’s streamlined workflows and minimal warm-up time help your team hit deadlines without compromise, even during peak seasons.

3. Lower Printing Costs

Modern production printers like the Pro C9500 are energy-efficient and eliminate the need for things like external venting or excessive humidification—cutting costs from day one.

4. Local Service That Keeps You Running

Downtime kills margins. Ricoh factory-trained technicians from Office Interiors provide fast, on-site service and proactive maintenance—minimizing downtime and keeping your production printer running reliably.

5. More Print Capabilities = More Revenue

With support for booklets, short-run packaging, labels, custom inserts, and specialty finishes, you can expand into new markets and increase your average order value.

6. Training That Builds Operator Confidence

With hands-on training in finishing, job setup, and software workflows, your team will work smarter, not harder—and deliver consistent output every time.

How Do I Know If a Production Printer Is Right for My Business?

It might be time to upgrade if:

• You're outsourcing jobs you’d rather keep in-house

• You’re spending hours troubleshooting colour or quality issues

• You’re limited by media types or finishing capabilities

• Your current equipment is expensive to maintain or frequently down

Want to See the Results for Yourself?

The Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) print shop uses Ricoh equipment supplied and supported by Office Interiors—a long-standing partnership that also helps power the college’s Graphic and Print Production Program. It’s just one example of how we support local print operations with the tools and training they need to succeed.

We’d be happy to send you a printed sample so you can see the clarity, finish, and colour accuracy yourself - send us your most demanding file,  we’ll print it on a Ricoh Production Printer and send it back, no strings attached.

Reach out to us to request your free sample or explore the right production print solution for your organization.