ARGECY:EDITORIAL FROM AN IBM DEALER

[Anonymous]

It’s been a busy winter.  Not just the storms, tsunami, and cold, but the business environment as well.  We spent a lot of time and cash accumulating inventory for which we all hope will be a very busy 2005.  We are stocked to the eyebrows with excellent equipment in our three main “hubs” Detroit, Dallas, and Atlanta.  The economy is on the rise (finally!) after years of disappointments.  So let’s get out there and spend, spend, spend!

So what’s new and news-worthy?  IBM has still had problems with delivery of its 4247 family of printers.  I had expected an announcement by now with news of their new direction.  Their reliance on a single manufacturer hurt them before, and I believe it would be in their best interests to even acquire a company (Psi would be a great choice in my opinion).  If you still need IPDS ethernet matrix printers, consider our IBM 4224 and 4230 upgrades.

Tally has quietly withdrawn its continuous-forms inkjet (SPrintJet T3116) and we are back to the three low and midrange products:  The Pentax engine that is in all the 24ppm models, the PSi 4050XP and 4060, and the IBM IP62.  Given that IBM supports the PSi, it has to be the favored product, regardless of the brand identity.

I have heard of a couple more bankruptcies in the dealer market, and many other dealers are complaining of slow paying customers, wholesale and retail.  It has been unusual for us to have write-offs and losses for uncollectable accounts.  This past year we had to eat a few.  Ouch!

As mentioned in this space before, markets on many products have gotten tighter and many large packages that had come to market over the past several years have been reabsorbed.  By and large, net economic growth can put a strain on supplies.  We’re doing our very best to keep overhead down, but we cannot single handedly control the vast market.  In a mature industry such as ours it is incumbent on the major players to maintain a stable and predictable market in order to continuously supply the end-user base.  We are doing our part.

We did a marketing campaign in 2004, made up of 4 mailers of the same theme sent out to our entire mailing list over a one year period.  Hopefully you all received them, but it was hard to see any improvement in our contacts or business as a result. I am nearing the point where print advertising may be useless.  If anyone has other ideas or comments, please forward them to me.

For many years we have taken the initiative to help all callers resolve technical issues, regardless of where the equipment came from.  We feel that the good will generated by our helpfulness should pay off in the long run.  Please support our efforts to help you by sourcing your equipment though Argecy.

Here’s the latest hots and nots:
Sweet spots:
IBM 4000-id3/id4  Venerable printer with excellent Roll Systems attachment options (ID3: PAGE COUNT = 25,777,683 W/FEATURES: 4840, 9403, 9410, 4404, 4540, 4481;  ID4: COUNT 25,933,478 W/FEATURES: 4840,8524,9410,9941,9993,4367,4540,4540,9470)
IBM 2770-001 InfoPrint 70.  We have one of only a couple in the market now.
IBM 4332-001 32ppm workhorse beats all comers for least cost per page. NEW IN BOX units available
Also have some MICR 4332-004’s.
IBM 6400-009, -012, -015, Units sitting with most features.
IBM 1352n and 1352 (4528-n01, 4528-001) over 250 pieces sitting NEW IN BOX below dealer cost.
IBM 4322-001 These were a very hot commodity, but we have several and are dealing.
Lexmark 2480 – fast and durable desktop narrow carriage impact printer
Lexmark Optra S1250, 1255, 1855’s – sitting (most with ethernet).
Lexmark Optra S1625 16ppm laser at a great value, LARGE quantity of units sitting now.
Lexmark Optra S2450 — 24ppm laser, over 90 pieces sitting. Bring your deals.
Lexmark Optra Se3455 – 34 pages per minute and cheap-to-keep
Lexmark Optra T522’s – nice package incoming.
Lexmark T612’s — Large quantity in now. Ask about ethernet upgrades.
Lexmark Optra W810 35ppm and 11×17 in one very solid printer. Bring your deals.

Tighter:
Multifunction upgrades for IBM and Lexmark machines (we have a few)
Lexmark Optra T622 – we have three or four
IBM 1100 series (1120, 1125, 1130, 1140).  We have a few of each
IBM 1145 (45xx series) – We have one
IBM 1312 – none 🙁
IBM 4247-003 – We have less than 20
IBM 4247-V03 – None 🙂
IBM 4230 twinax and coax We have a “plethora” of 4230-102’s.  Most others are fairly tight
IBM 4232-302 – three left….
IBM 4224-1e3 twinax – none

Check out http:www.argecy.com/Specials.html

David T. Mendelson
Argecy Computer Corporation
27280 Haggerty Road C21
Farmington Hills, MI 48331
248-324-1800 x122
248-324-1900 fax
http://www.argecy.com
dave@argecy.com

[Author]

January 20, 2005 at 10:17 AM