Invented almost 90 years ago, electrophotography (EP) has been the mainstay of digital printing for many years. It took a number of years for the technology to become commercialized—and even longer to be used for color reproduction, however. The beginning of the millennium marked the maturity of toner technology in production print, with quality finally rivalling offset lithography and productivity reaching new heights, although, the limitations in print size and speed became apparent as well. Alas, inkjet entered the stage and the focus shifted.

After so much attention now cast on inkjet, we tend to expect little news and progress from EP technologies nowadays. However, the reality is different. Time to review the last 12 months of news and launches in EP technology.

The use of EP technology stretches a wide range of environments, from small copy shops, in-plants, or quick printers to large commercial plants, mailers, and specialty printers. It is particularly the light and mid-production markets where EP technology still offers the by far biggest choice and has the biggest appeal. The advantages of inkjet in running cost, print speed, and format are less important for lower volume users, especially when considering that toner technology is tried, tested, and well-understood by the operators. In the heavy production market, inkjet is gaining ground based on lower running cost and higher productivity. Still, EP has an edge in specialty colors and certain applications, substrates, and versatility.