(Weymouth, MA) July 05, 2005…According to a new end-user survey conducted by InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, over 70% of respondents indicated they are printing more documents in color than they were two years ago. This is good news for supplies manufacturers. Color equipment uses more consumables and the cost of consumables for these devices is about four times more than traditional black & white output devices. “With the rise in color placements, it is encouraging for supplies manufacturers to see that printing has not declined for color documents,” commented Cathy Martin, a Consultant for InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. “Based on the responses to this survey, these businesses are trying to get the most use out of their new imaging devices by printing more or about the same as they had in the past.” In early 2005, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures conducted a survey of over 570 business end-users on the paper market for cut size sheet paper, continuous forms, and recycled paper. Questions in the survey covered many aspects of this market including types of paper, paper by type of equipment, recycled paper, continuous forms, and paper expenditures. The results of this survey are now available in a new report entitled End-Users Voice Opinions About Paper. Other key highlights uncovered in the report include: Most respondents indicated they were still using a lot of paper, especially copier paper, and were satisfied with their suppliers. Armed with the knowledge that plain copier paper will work in most technologies, these respondents did not seem as interested in paper that was geared toward a specific technology. Although price was the biggest concern for the respondents that participated in this survey, it was not the only consideration. Paper must also perform to expectations, particularly when it comes to runnability and smoothness. Survey respondents preferred the mill brand of paper versus private label or OEM brands. 64% of respondents reported purchasing paper over the Internet. More suppliers are offering this option and customers are becoming increasingly comfortable with this purchasing method. More than half of our survey participants (59.5%) prefer to purchase paper from one or two suppliers. The full report is available immediately for purchase. In addition to the full report, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures is offering 3 sub-sections of the report that focus on cut-size paper, recycled paper, and continuous forms. Each report includes the introduction, methodology, definitions, executive summary, and general findings & analysis sections excerpted from the full study as well as the relevant analysis portion. Recommendations, conclusions, and data tables are also included. Below are the reports: End-Users Voice Opinions About Paper: Cut-Size Edition End-Users Voice Opinions About Paper: Recycled Paper Edition End-Users Voice Opinions About Paper: Continuous Forms Edition For more information about the reports or to make a purchase, click here to visit our online store or contact Alison Hipp at (781) 616-2100, ext. 126 or [email protected].