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Canon to Begin Remanufacturing Copier/MFPs in the U.S. for U.S. Market

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Canon facility in Newport News, Virginia.

Canon Inc., Canon U.S.A., and Canon Virginia today announced further expansion of Canon’s global copier/MFP remanufacturing business with the remanufacturing of one Canon copier/MFP series set to begin next month at the Canon Virginia facility. The Canon Virginia plant, which is located in Newport News, Virginia, currently manufactures laser printer cartridges, precision injection molds, and medical components

A Canon spokesperson confirmed that Canon will also be selling the remanufactured MFPs in the U.S. 

Canon has been remanuacturing copier/MFPs since 1992. The process involves a system that automatically determines which parts should be reused, based on operating data about the equipment, such as the number of years in use, its history of breakdowns, and the number of pages printed. Then, following strict reuse standards, Canon replaces any parts that show wear or deterioration. The production line and inspection processes used are on a par with those for devices made only with new parts. When a remanufactured device is shipped, it’s guaranteed to offer the same level of quality as a new product. In Japan, Canon markets remanufactured  Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE MFPs under the Refreshed series brand, and  under the ES series brand in Europe.

The company’s MFP remanufacturing currently takes place at the Canon Ecology Industry in Japan and Canon Giessen in Germany. Canon will now be expanding this remanufacturing business by introducing at Canon Virginia using the standardized production processes and remanufacturing technologies developed at the two existing plants.

The company says its MFPs are designed using a platform-based approach that standardizes core structural elements for each product class. Devices within each product class also share common components, modules, and assembly/disassembly methods. This means different models within the same product class have interchangeable components and modules, as well as standardized assembly procedures and production lines. Quality standards can also be applied, enabling efficient production and consistent quality while also facilitating remanufacturing.

Canon uses operational data from collected used devices to determine whether parts can be reused based on years in service, part replacement history, and print volume. Through this process, lists of parts that need replacement are automatically generated. This helps to maximize parts reuse and streamline remanufacturing.

By standardizing the two remanufacturing processes on a global scale, the company says it’s  well positioned to deliver competitively priced remanufactured MFPs. It says these MFPs will be remanufactured to provide both high quality and performance, and help with environmental efforts thanks to a parts reuse rate that is estimated to be over 90 percent per unit.

Canon Virginia will adopt these production processes and collaborate with Canon U.S.A. to officially launch this remanufacturing business in a market expected to see steady demand in the United States.

For more information on Canon’s remanufacturing of MFPs, visit the company here.

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