Is a Wide Format Printer the Right Fit for Your Business?

If you’ve ever outsourced a poster, blueprint, or large signage print job, you know the wait times, costs, and lack of control can be frustrating. But bringing those jobs in-house isn’t just for creative agencies or architecture firms anymore—many businesses are discovering that investing in a wide format printer opens up opportunities they hadn’t considered.

What is a wide format printer, and who needs one?

A wide format printer can handle prints typically between 18 and 100 inches wide, making it ideal for banners, signage, detailed technical drawings, maps, and more. But these printers aren’t limited to traditional use cases. Organizations across industries—from education to manufacturing—are turning to wide format devices for their versatility and impact.

Some common use cases include:

What Hybrid Work Reveals about Printer Fleet Management

 

As hybrid work becomes the norm rather than the exception, many organizations are taking a second look at the overlooked corners of their infrastructure—like their printer fleet. What once worked fine in a centralized office doesn’t always translate to distributed teams. That’s where smart printer fleet management becomes more than just a logistical win—it becomes a business necessity.

The hybrid challenge: too many printers, not enough oversight

With employees splitting time between office and home, many businesses now have more devices in more locations than ever before. Printers are no longer limited to a few networked machines in a central hub—they’ve proliferated into branch offices, remote setups, and shared coworking spaces. Without a centralized system in place, tracking usage, supplies, and service needs can quickly spiral out of control.

Printer fleet management helps rein things back in.

Managing Engineering Drawings with Document Management

What do blueprints, CAD files, and technical schematics have in common? They’re all oversized, complex, and critical—and managing them is a uniquely high-stakes challenge. For engineering, construction, and manufacturing firms, traditional document systems often fall short. That’s where specialized document management comes in.

Why engineering files need more than basic storage

Unlike standard PDFs or Word docs, engineering drawings come with their own set of demands. They’re often large in file size, formatted in specialized software, and may go through dozens of revisions before final approval. Managing them through email chains or scattered folder systems can lead to costly mistakes.

Document management systems tailored to technical drawings do more than just store files—they keep your projects on track.

Automate Smarter: How DocuWare Transforms Document Management

Still chasing down paper trails or digging through shared drives to find what you need? DocuWare can help change that. As businesses look for ways to work more efficiently—without adding complexity—intelligent automation is quickly becoming a must-have. That’s where DocuWare comes in.

What is DocuWare?

DocuWare is a cloud-based document management and workflow automation platform. It helps organizations securely store, organize, retrieve, and route documents without relying on paper-based systems or messy file folders. Whether you’re a small office or a large enterprise, DocuWare gives your team a smarter way to work.

Beyond Blueprints: Unexpected Ways Wide Format Printers Are Transforming Industries

When most people think of wide format printers, they picture architectural blueprints and engineering schematics. But the technology behind these printers has evolved far beyond technical drawings, offering businesses in unexpected industries a powerful tool for creativity, efficiency, and growth.

Who Can Benefit from Wide Format Printing?

While construction and design firms still rely on wide format printers, many other industries are discovering their potential:

Printer Fleet Management Isn’t a One-and-Done Event

Upgrading your office printers and implementing a managed print solution may feel like a completed task—but managing a printer fleet isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it process. As business needs evolve, so do print demands, security risks, and efficiency expectations. Ongoing printer fleet management ensures your organization stays cost-effective, secure, and operational.

Why Printer Fleet Management Requires Ongoing Attention

Even the most advanced print setup needs regular oversight. Without routine management, businesses can face:

How Document Management Helps Future-Proof Your Business

Business success is as much about adaptability as it is growth. As technology evolves, regulations shift, and remote work becomes the norm, companies need strategies that keep them ahead of change. A strong document management system (DMS) is one of the most effective ways to safeguard your business against uncertainty.

Eliminating Bottlenecks and Inefficiencies

Outdated filing systems and scattered digital documents slow down productivity. Employees waste time searching for files, correcting errors, or navigating approval bottlenecks. A document management system centralizes storage, enables quick retrieval, and automates workflows. Whether it's HR processing new hire paperwork or finance tracking invoices, a DMS ensures documents move efficiently through their lifecycle.

Who Should Consider DocuWare?

Managing documents efficiently is a challenge for businesses of all sizes. Paper-based processes slow things down, digital files get lost in cluttered folders, and compliance requirements add extra pressure. DocuWare offers a smarter way to handle documents by digitizing, automating, and securing them in a centralized system. But who benefits the most from this solution? Let’s take a look.

Businesses Struggling with Paper Overload

For companies still reliant on physical paperwork, DocuWare eliminates the hassle. Imagine a busy law firm handling stacks of case files or a medical practice buried under patient records. With DocuWare, documents are scanned, indexed, and stored securely, making them easy to find and share while reducing storage costs and administrative headaches.

Beyond the Standard Print: What Makes Wide Format Printing Unique?

Not all printing jobs fit neatly onto standard paper sizes. When businesses need to produce banners, blueprints, signage, or oversized graphics, wide format printing delivers unmatched versatility. But what sets it apart beyond size?

1. Precision and Detail at a Larger Scale

Printing at a larger scale doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. Modern wide format printers, like those from Ricoh, use advanced inkjet technology to produce high-resolution images with exceptional clarity. Whether it’s fine architectural details on blueprints or vibrant marketing graphics, these printers ensure every detail is crisp, even on oversized materials.

2. Diverse Material Compatibility

Unlike standard office printers, wide format printers can handle a variety of media beyond paper. This flexibility allows businesses to print on:

Unique Challenges of Managing a Large Print Fleet

A well-managed print fleet keeps an organization running smoothly, but as fleets grow, so do the complexities. Large print fleets face unique challenges that smaller operations rarely encounter. Here are a few key concerns and how businesses can address them effectively.

1. Cost Control Across Multiple Devices and Locations

In a large fleet, costs can spiral out of control quickly. With dozens—or even hundreds—of printers across different departments or locations, tracking usage, supply needs, and maintenance expenses becomes a major challenge. Organizations must account for:

Subscribe to

Why EBP?

At EBP, it’s our mission to help you print outside the box. Beyond copiers and printers, we provide the customized solutions, services, software and workflow that streamline your company’s processes to help you work smarter, not harder.

As your dedicated, full-service partner, our entire team is committed to exceeding your expectations on every level. We are family-owned, driven by family values and proud to be part of the Ricoh USA family group, recognized industry-wide for our organization's excellence in service year after year. Simply put, we’re here to help - every day and in any way that we can. 

Learn more about our NPS score

 

Top 10
World Class 2019
World Class 2020

Contact Us

Type your phone number here.
Type any comments you have here.

Four Locations To Serve You

Latham (Albany, NY)
518.783.0737
4 Airport Park Blvd. P.O. Box 926
Latham, NY 12110
Liverpool (Syracuse, NY)
315.451.0391
4713 Crossroads Park Drive Suite 101
Liverpool, NY 13088
Rochester, NY
585.351.2275
302 N. Goodman Street Suite E201
Rochester, NY 14607
Vestal (Binghamton, NY)
607.786.6277
1901 Vestal Parkway Unit 1 South West
Vestal, NY 13850
800.333.0737