Prontaprint aims to turn the quickprint industry on its head with a deal to scrap leases that have victimised the industry for years, it says.


It agreed with two of its suppliers, Oc and Ricoh, to replace leases with rental agreements for their black & white and colour digital printers.


Leases locked printers into lengthy time limits that ruled out kit upgrades without cash penalties, claimed Prontaprint.


Nick Chalk, head of technological services at Prontaprint, said: Now the deal focuses on the supplier rather than the bit of kit and it matches equipment with current business needs.


Some 45 of Prontaprints 230 centres are using the deal. Kit rentals include an Oc CS 200 digital colour printer, Ricoh 850 B&W machines and 6110 colour digital copiers. Prontaprints three other suppliers Danka, Xerox and Canon did not follow suit. They were restricted by corporate guidelines, said Chalk.


Story by Jez Abbott