Xerox last week unveiled its new ColorQube 9200 multifunction printer, a machine that uses a combination of innovations to reduce waste by 90 percent, cuts energy use and emissions by 10 percent, all while saving nearly two-thirds the costs of traditional color printing.

Using solid ink rather than ink cartridges is one key way the company cuts down on waste; the ColorQube 9200 is also designed to print more than 55,000 pages from a single ink block before needing to be changed.

The Xerox ColorQube 9200.
xerox printer


But beyond the in-office waste, the company estimates that the 9200 series will use 9 percent less energy throughout its lifecycle and produce 10 percent fewer greenhouse gases than a similar laser printer.

The printer also features a high-tech "Intelligent Ready" system that monitors work and usage patterns, which can allow the machine to detect if there are regular lulls in activity, for instance during the lunch hour. During these times, the printer will automatically switch into a power-saving mode, and will automatically power back up as employees get back to work.

The ColorQube 9200 is just the latest of Xerox's green initiatives: last year, the company announced plans to produce energy-efficient toner and submitted nearly a dozen eco-patents to the Eco-Patents Commons.

The new printer is available immediately in North America, and will be rolled out across the rest of the globe starting in September 2009.