Xerox

:For xerox as a verb, check the Trademark issues section.

Business model shifts

Xerox shifted its business model in the 1970s and 1980s as patent expiry removed exclusivity from their copier technology, and diversification plans largely did not succeed. Many technologies developed largely by PARC were ignored by Xerox and made their way into other companies' products—for instance, Ethernet, the WIMP interface, and personal computers. Plans to enter the computer market were destroyed by bad timing (for example, releasing an 8-bit CP/M based system, the Xerox 820, just as IBM readied its more advanced PC). Another promising, but ill-fated venture was the ground-breaking GUI based office workstation, the Xerox Star. Xerox even developed a line of advanced typewriters just as the typewriter began to lose out to computer-based word processing.

Related Topics:
1970s - 1980s - Ethernet - WIMP - 8-bit - CP/M - Xerox 820 - IBM - GUI - Xerox Star - Typewriter - Word processing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xerox did successfully invent laser printing, which became a multibillion-dollar business for the company that continues today. Meanwhile, the company's manufacturing costs were far in excess of those of their Japanese photocopier competitors, its design and manufacturing quality became questionable, and its internal culture had become problematic.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The company was revived in the 1980s and 1990s, through improvement in quality design and realignment of its product line. Development of "digital photocopiers" in the 1990s and a revamp of the entire product range—essentially high-end laser printers with attached scanners which were able to be attached to computer networks—again gave Xerox a technical lead over its competitors. Xerox worked to turn its product into a service, providing a complete "document service" to companies including supply, maintenance, configuration, and user support. To reinforce this image the company introduced a corporate signature, "The Document Company®" above its main logo and introduced a red "digital X®". The "digital X" symbolised the transition of documents between the paper and digital worlds. In 2005, to emphasize its brand strength and leadership in document services, the company abandoned the "digital X" and changed the corporate signature to include mentions of technology services and consulting. To improve its position in the office printing market it purchased the printer division of Tektronix in 2000.

Related Topics:
1990s - Tektronix - 2000

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today, Xerox's primary markets include office environments from small to large, production and commercial printing customers, graphic-arts and creative services companies, public sector operations, and industries like healthcare, education and financial services. Xerox sells a range of document technology, including high-end digital color presses like the Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Press and DocuColor systems; high-end black-and-white digital press technology like Xerox Nuvera and DocuTech; office multifunction printers like the WorkCentre Pro family; and Phaser color and black-and-white network printers. Xerox consulting services help enterprises redesign document-intensive processes, and its outsourcing services help companies produce and manage documents, freeing them to focus on their core business. Xerox also markets software such as DocuSharehttp://www.xerox.com/docushare and FlowPorthttp://www.xerox.com/flowport. High-end production printing is a nearly $5 billion business for Xerox, as its systems are used by enterprises and commercial printers to create personalized brochures and mailings, direct mail, full-color books, insurance policies and 401k statements, invoices, posters and more.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~