Lexmark also gets nod from TBC Corp. to streamline company's printing environment.
Lexmark International, Inc. recently became the manufacturer of choice for a national workgroup and color laser printer bid sourced by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The contract calls for the potential placement of more than 20,000 Lexmark E, T and C Series workgroup monochrome and color laser printers throughout 260 VA locations, including outpatient clinics in the U.S., within the next 90—120 days. The contract is expected to help the VA achieve more than $15 million in savings in relation to standard purchasing costs.
The award is the first national printer bid sourced by the VA. Previously, the VA sourced its printers regionally with awards made independently by each specific Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), Region, or Medical Center. This national award will help standardize the entire agency with Lexmark, eliminating the challenges associated with deploying, managing and maintaining a multi-vendor fleet of printing devices.
The national award also meets the VA’s need for workgroup monochrome and color laser printers that align with its strategic goals of reducing costs and environmental impact. The contract also supports the VA’s need to ensure the accuracy and completeness of its information resources, reduce the complexity of its IT infrastructure, and optimize the efficiency of its business processes, according to Lexmark.
The winning VA bid was awarded directly to Alvarez & Associates, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based information technology and executive management services company. Alvarez & Associates is a Lexmark partner and a 100 percent Service Disabled Veteran Owned /Small Business (SDVO/SB) that provides intellect, analysis, technology and counsel to government agencies.
"Lexmark is proud to support the vital mission of Veterans Affairs," said Marty Canning, Lexmark executive vice president and president of Imaging Solutions and Services. "Lexmark Government Solutions provides products, services and solutions that enable agencies to manage their data and documents more efficiently and securely while lowering costs and better meeting their output needs. “Lexmark’s wide range of laser printers deployed across these locations will help support the critical care services that are delivered to our military veterans and their families,” added Canning.
"The joint efforts of the Alvarez and Lexmark teams and the quality Lexmark printers that meet the specific needs of the VA were the key components in achieving this important contract," stated Kirk Hanson, executive vice president and general manager for Alvarez & Associates.
For more information on Alvarez & Associates, visit www.alvarezassociates.com
TBC Corp. Names Lexmark Managed Print Services Provider
In other news, TBC Corp., one of the largest marketers of automotive replacement tires and services, has named Lexmark as its managed print services (MPS) provider, awarding the company a three-year contract to improve and optimize its printing environment and reduce print output costs throughout its more than 800 U.S. retail tire and automotive maintenance stores and wholesale division.
After a thorough assessment of the company’s current capabilities and technology, Lexmark was able to:
- Optimize the printing environment in TBC Corp.’s retail operations by deploying innovative, award-winning printing technology and ensuring the right devices were being used in the right locations
- Proactively manage the company's consumables to streamline processes associated with maintaining a stock of toner cartridges and other parts. Lexmark now knows exactly when supplies are low, ordering and shipping them automatically to the retail stores when needed. Keeping a costly inventory of supplies on hand is no longer necessary.
With this MPS deployment now complete, TBC Corp.’s retail stores are printing more efficiently. Lexmark will implement the same proven MPS strategy with the TBC Corp. Wholesale Division, which includes the TBC Brands, Carroll Tire Company and Treadways business units. TBC Corp.’s retail group markets its products under the well-known brands Tire Kingdom, Big O Tires, Merchants Tire & Auto Centers, and National Tire & Battery.
"Lexmark’s expertise and ability to go deep into the vertical markets we serve enables us to immediately deliver savings in both time and money to our customers upon deploying our industry-leading products, software, and services in their printing environments,” said Lexmark's Canning. “In fact, this expertise has led 90 percent of the top global retailers* to rely on Lexmark’s technology to help manage their unique printing needs."
"Printing work orders and customer invoices in our stores is a critical part of our retail operations," said Steve Smith, chief information officer of TBC Corp. "We wanted to reduce our costs and keep our store personnel from having to deal with printer issues. We engaged multiple printer manufacturers and conducted extensive product testing.
Unlike other manufacturers, Lexmark conducted a thorough assessment and gave us a clear picture of our current operations, helping us prioritize the operational changes that would have the greatest positive impact on servicing our customers."
TBC Corp.
TBC Corporation (TBC) is one of the nation's largest marketers of automotive replacement tires through a multi-channel strategy. TBC is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The Company is a wholesale supplier to independent regional tire retailers and distributors throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico as well as South America, Europe and the Middle East. Additionally, TBC’s wholesale group operates Carroll Tire, a regional tire wholesale distributor servicing independent tire dealers across the United States. TBC’s retail group operates more than 820 tire and automotive service centers under the brands Tire Kingdom, Merchant’s Tire & Auto Centers, and NTB-National Tire & Battery. The Company also maintains nearly 500 franchise stores under the Big O Tires brand. Visit www.servicecentralauto.com for locations.
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