Oce 2600 meets EPA's new standards for lower energy, paper consumption.

announced that the Oce 2600 copier/duplicator has met the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star program, which sets standards for reducing energy and paper consumption by office copiers.

The 6,000 impressions-per-hour Oce 2600 high-volume duplicator achieved Energy Star compliance just five months after the EPA announced the specifications. To qualify for Energy Star certification, high-speed copiers and duplicators must: use low energy in standby mode, default to make double-sided copies, and incorporate a feature that automatically turns off the copier after a period of inactivity.

"Efficiencies addressed by the Energy Star program are integral to Oce equipment design," said David Schumaker, vice president of marketing for Oce-Office Systems. "The Oce 2600 by design emits almost no excess toner dust, has an extremely low ozone emission (less than 0.0005 parts per million) and operates at a low noise level (77 decibels)."

In addition, Oce Copy Press technology (incorporated into all Oce office copiers) saves energy by operating more efficiently than traditional copying systems, and reduces the paper waste linked to inferior copies. This unique copying process employs a shorter paper path that virtually eliminates internal paper jams and increases system uptime. Also, while most other copiers require both developer and fuser oil, the Oce system employs a monocomponent toner, which ensures consistent high-quality printing.

Oce Copy Press technology is a dual-belt system that is more reliable and fundamentally different from xerography. Rather than bringing the paper to the image via electrical charges -- as is the case in xerographic systems -- Oce's Copy Press technology brings the image to the paper. There, the image is pressed directly into the paper fibers -- ensuring offset-like quality copies.

According to the EPA, office equipment accounts for 5 percent of commercial electricity consumption. A portion is energy wasted by copiers idling when not in operation. Approximately 7 million copiers currently are used in homes and businesses across the United States, and an estimated 1.5 million new copiers are sold each year. Annually, copiers consume more than 700 billion sheets of paper nationwide.

In the near future, Oce will announce additional Energy Star classifications for its line of mid-, high- and very high-volume copiers and duplicators.

Oce-USA, Inc. comprises Oce-Office Systems, a leading distributor and service provider of mid- and high-volume plain-paper office copiers and Oce-Bruning, a leader in engineering reprographic equipment and supplies. Oce-USA is the first reprographics company with an ISO 9000-certified service organization also to offer equipment produced under an ISO 9000-certified quality system. Oce-USA has more than 55 branch offices nationwide and is part of Oce-van der Grinten's global network of companies. Oce-van der Grinten (NASDAQ:OCENY), headquartered in the Netherlands, employs more than 12,000 people worldwide and posted revenues of more than $1.7 billion.

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