Franking machine cartridges tested for quality
Cost effective, British made, compatible franking machine cartridges that don’t compromise on quality. Yes they do exist…
As the largest British compatible manufacturer and distributor offering the broadest range of cartrid
ges we pride ourselves on providing product that is fully tested to extremely high standards. Our growth, repeat custom and international success are testament to this. In fact earlier this year we were awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for the export success of our franking machine cartridges.
Those that have used our compatible cartridges have discovered that there is a lower cost alternative to the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) models, and they do not compromise on quality.
At Totalpost we utilise high quality materials coupled with a strong British manufacturing workforce to produce our quality cartridges.
We have a quality hub within our manufacturing centre where all cartridges are rigorously tested. We test for cartridge quality, print quality, number of print impressions and product lifetime. We work to ensure our cartridges are compatible to the standard of original manufacturer versions.
Sadly there are some low quality compatible manufacturers out there which tarnish our industry and these are largely from overseas sources such as the Far East. Because the OEMs tend to pitch their prices very high they generally use cheaper, poorly made cartridges as scare tactics to keep their custom.
However there is a middle ground and that is British made, Totalpost cartridges which come with a full ‘no quibble’ guarantee.
All of our cartridges have been approved by Royal Mail for the ink quality and in that process they have also tested the cartridge and machine compatibility. In granting approval Royal Mail has ensured that all cartridges fit into the relevant franking machines properly, produce clear print impressions and machine readability rates have gone through their high speed equipment. It is not just the ink that is used by Royal Mail (in our case) but the whole franking machine cartridge.
Additionally for every new country that we work within (we export to 20+), the distributor involved undertakes rigorous testing before placing any orders. Therefore our cartridges have been tested successfully thousands upon thousands of times across many markets worldwide.
In 2005, the Office of Fair Trading made a ruling that it is not permitted for the largest manufacturers to dictate to their customers who they buy their ink and franking supplies from. Additionally they are not permitted to tell customers it will invalidate their warranty or service contract – it won’t.
Since then original manufacturers and their distributors have looked to discredit those that offer a quality and cost effective alternative as they fear the genuine competition that is posed.
Some people have tried importing poor quality compatible cartridges. These are largely manufactured overseas en masse without full testing and commitment to customer satisfaction or have varying ink shading or poor construction and certainly do not comply with Royal Mail specification.
Increasingly we are hearing reports from loyal customers about original manufacturer engineers warning customers that the use of any cartridges other than their own may cause damage to franking machine print heads. But they conveniently forget that franking machine print heads are a consumable item already.
If you have any questions or concerns about compatible franking machine cartridges have a look at our cartridge FAQ or call our mailroom experts to discuss further Tel: 0845 4900360.
