Oki Printing Solutions calculates AED 30 million could be saved from 'wasted printing costs'

Based on Ministry of Labour statistics, the calculation reflects the hidden wastage that businesses incur by overlooking the advantages of bringing colour printing in-house.

"The Middle East is one of the world's great business card presenting cultures - it's probably fair to say that only in Japan is the presentation of a card quite so much a part of the ritual of business meetings," said John Ross, general manager of Oki Printing Solutions Middle East. "That means we're all constantly exchanging cards. We don't think about the costs because they're so small. But they can actually mount up fast."

Every year the UAE creates 150,000 white collar jobs according to the UAE Ministry of Labour. If every one of those employees is given a 'standard' box of 500 business cards, the cost per employee of outsourced printed cards would be (at current prices) Dhs 330 - a whopping Dhs 49.5 million. With the cost of replacement cards factored in, those tiny giveaways become a 50 million dirham industry!

"Now we'll add some Oki magic," says Ross. "Using Oki's business card print media, you can slash over 60% of that cost by bringing card printing in-house. No delays waiting for new cards, no 'I'm sorry my cards are being printed' excuses at meetings. As many or as few cards printed as you need them for a fraction of the cost of outsourced printing. The economics are unarguable - and if the Ministry of Labour's figures are right, we could be saving the UAE economy something like Dhs 30 million a year!"