Why Low Quality Paper is Costing Your Business More Than You Think

When a printer keeps jamming, the instinct is to call the engineer. But what if the problem isn't the printer at all? For a growing number of businesses, the root cause of their most frequent print failures isn't hardware, it's the paper sitting in the tray.

Paper prices have increased significantly over the last five years. As manufacturers have cut costs to stay competitive, quality has deteriorated. Tolerances have widened. Dust content has risen. And the knock-on effects inside your printing equipment can be far more costly than the pennies saved per ream.

The Science Behind the Problem

Paper is not a perfectly smooth material. During manufacturing, handling, and the printing process itself, paper releases fine fibres and dust particles. In a high-quality paper made to tight tolerances, this is minimal and manageable. In lower quality paper the kind that has become increasingly common as manufacturers cut costs, the dust levels are significantly higher.

That dust accumulates inside your printer or copier on the components that matter most:

• Optical sensors Printers and photocopiers use sensors to detect where paper is in the paper path. Paper dust on the sensor lens or receiver can block the light signal, causing the machine to misread the paper position and trigger a jam error even when no actual jam has occurred.

  
  

• Feed rollers The rollers that grip and move paper rely on friction. Dust and fine fibres coat the roller surface, reducing traction and causing paper to slip, skew, or fail to feed correctly.

  
  

• Paper path components Guide plates, separation claws, and transfer components accumulate dust and small paper scraps over time, physically impeding paper movement and causing genuine mechanical jams.

  
  

In short: lower-quality paper creates a dirtier internal environment, and that dirty environment is the leading cause of print failures most businesses put up with every day.

The Numbers Tell the Story

The scale of this problem is often underestimated. Based on our service data across managed print customers:

• A lot of all service calls are directly related to paper jams and feeding problems.

  
  

• In the vast majority of these visits, our engineers find no faulty parts. The machine itself is fine. The issue is sensor contamination from paper dust every sensor in the paper path needs cleaning before the machine runs correctly again.

  
  

• This pattern repeats itself across desktops, multi-function devices, and high volume reprographics machines alike. It is not a hardware problem. It is a consumables problem.

  
  

A Real-World Example: 70% Fewer Service Calls in Four Months

We recently completed an account review with a customer who had been experiencing persistent machine performance issues across their entire fleet. The problems were consistent and frequent: jams on production reprographics machines, feeding issues on desktop printers, sensor faults on satellite MFDs. Engineers were visiting regularly, cleaning components each time, and the same issues would return within weeks.

A detailed analysis of service call data showed the same pattern each time: paper dust contamination across sensors and feed components. The customer was using a lower cost paper from their existing supplier a decision made in good faith to reduce stationery spend.

We recommended switching to a more premium Xerox branded paper, manufactured to tighter tolerances with significantly lower dust content. Crucially, we were also able to supply this at a lower cost per ream than the customer's had been paying for the budget paper

The results over the following four months were significant:

• Service calls dropped by 70% across the entire fleet.

• Paper jam related calls fell to virtually zero.

• The improvement was seen not just on the high-volume production machines, but across every device on the network, desktops, satellite MFDs, and all.

  
  

A single change to the paper being used transformed the performance of an entire print fleet. No hardware replacements. No increased investment. Just the right consumable.

What to Look for in a Quality Paper

Not all paper is equal. When evaluating paper for your print environment, look for:

• Consistent paper weight and thickness Tighter manufacturing tolerances mean fewer feeding errors.

  
  

• Low dust content Premium papers are treated to minimise fibre release during handling and printing.

  
  

• Compatibility certification Papers certified for specific printer and copier ranges are tested for feeding performance and low contamination.

  
  

• Proper storage Even high-quality paper stored in damp or warm conditions can absorb moisture and cause feeding problems. Store paper in a cool, dry place and allow it to acclimatise before use.

  
  

The Managed Print Connection

Paper quality is a factor that is frequently overlooked in managed print service reviews, yet it has a direct and measurable impact on fleet performance, service costs, and staff productivity. A properly structured print management programme should account for the full consumables picture, not just toner and maintenance, but the paper going through every device on your network.

When we carry out a print assessment, paper quality is one of the first things we look at. It's a low cost intervention with a disproportionately large impact on reliability. For businesses paying for service contracts and engineer visits to resolve persistent jam issues, addressing the paper first can deliver a rapid and measurable return.

XOS Can Help - At No Extra Cost

XOS supplies premium Xerox-branded paper across a full range of weights and formats, and in many cases we can supply it at a lower price than customers are currently paying elsewhere. Combined with our managed print service, we ensure your entire fleet is running on the right consumables with full visibility over usage and costs.

If your business is experiencing persistent paper jams, frequent engineer visits, or feeding problems across multiple devices, the solution may be simpler and cheaper than you think.

Our full range of recommended media includes Xerox Multiprint, Xerox Business, Xerox Premier, Xerox Recycled Supreme 100%. Xerox Colotech+, Xerox Colotech+ Gloss Coated, Xerox Colotech+ Silk Coated and many more specialist media products to include transfer paper, magnets, transparency, labels, carbonless and synthetics.

Get in touch with the XOS team today for a quote on your paper requirements.

Visit www.xosuk.co.uk or call our team to get started.