The SL-D1000 offers many new, eco-friendly features and improvements to its predecessor, the SL-D800. A key feature is the introduction of duplex printing. This allows retailers to expand their offering from simple photo production to high value applications such as personalised photo books, calendars and cards - an area of the market that is increasing in demand and popularity. With this production taking place on-site, retailers and copy shops retain control and also the revenue that is generated.

Productivity has improved as print speeds have increased (prints per hour and first print out) and with the optional duplex feeder for auto-sheet duplex (100 A4 sheet cassette) on the SL-D1000A model, in addition to roll media support, higher print volumes can be easily achieved. The printer lifetime has also doubled to 400k 10x15 prints.

Cartridges have been replaced by Epson’s Integrated Ink Pack System ink bags providing 25% more ink compared to the SL-D800. This means less frequent ink changes and therefore less intervention. The ink packs result in less waste volume than cartridges making on-site waste management less of a concern.

An improved heating system results in noticeably quieter printing and also lowers power consumption. Coupled with the faster print speeds individual print power consumption is even further reduced.

Connectivity has been expanded to include LAN and WiFi in addition to USB, increasing flexibility of printer location.

Other new design features include an integrated output tray and an LCD display to improve job handling.

All of this comes in a 16% smaller and 24% lighter base unit compared to the SL-D800. Not only does this make it more easily transportable for businesses who want flexibility of production location, it also means that capital investment can be optimised based on production facility size and print volume.

With support for Epson’s Cloud Solution PORT, customers can achieve greater control when monitoring production, accessing production data remotely or from the shop floor via a PC or smart devices. For launch, mobile apps will be available for both retailers and end users to enable customers to easily get the images on their mobile phones printed in-store.

Michaela Stolle, Product Manager Pro-photo at Epson Europe said, “It is easy to see why we call the SL-D1000 a game changer for the photo production market. Newly developed from the ground up, every feature has been designed to improve productivity and provide ultimate flexibility for our customers. Retailers and copy shops are finding the landscape ever tougher so we are enabling them to generate more revenue in a growth area of the industry by offering a scalable solution when seasonality increases demand and the flexibility to easily run different types of jobs across multiple printers.”