PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Printer and scanner specialist Brother is remaining tight-lipped about whether it plans to enter the growing 3D printer sector.
This week Dell announced a 3D printing deal with Makerbot, and HP has made it clear it will also enter the market.
Brother UK MD Phil Jones admitted the vendor is also "looking at" 3D printing.
"I think every business continues to value up every single opportunity for the market," he told PCR. "3D printing, if you look at all the analyst figures, is clearly set to be the next big thing, whether that be consumerised or in a more commercial environment.
"So I think every print vendor – and every other vendor with the capability to output something through a printhead – will be evaluating what their future position will be.
"But I have no specific statement to make at the moment about when Brother might enter that marketplace, other than to say we continue to evaluate everything."
Jones also shared his thoughts on how he thinks the printer market will evolve in 2014.
"Print is changing," he added. "We’re seeing much greater demand for portable printing and car-based printing.
"The other thing that is really starting to emerge beyond managed print and basic print and services-based print is a lot more interest and discussion around software which we can install on people’s networks, to help people work smarter by restricting certain departments or individuals to reduce waste paper.
"’How do we make our current assets work a bit harder’ and ‘print on the move’ are the two things (other than managed print) which are seeing a lot more discussion and activity."
Read more from Jones in the upcoming March issue of PCR
