Manufacturer · Japan
Epson: all devices
Epson (Seiko Epson Corporation) is a listed Japanese technology group and one of the largest manufacturers of inkjet printers and printheads. In the UV segment, Epson offers the SureColor SC-V1000, a compact A4 flatbed printer sold through retailers. Many affordable UV printers from other brands also use Epson printheads.
In the wiki: 2 Devices in 2 Categories.
UV printer (1) · Sublimation printer (1)
UV printer
| Model | Price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Epson SureColor SC-V1000 | via retailers | €5,000 to €10,000 |
UV printer from Epson in detail · All UV printer at a glance
Sublimation printer
| Model | Price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Epson SureColor SC-F100 | €529.99 (Retailer) | €300 to €600 |
Pros and cons of Epson
Pros
- builds the print heads itself, which many other UV printers also use
- 3-year on-site warranty and retailer network in Germany
- documented environmental and climate targets, 100% green electricity at all group sites
- large, financially stable group rather than a young direct-sales brand
Cons
- UV printers only through retailers, no public prices
- small UV range for hobbyists and small businesses, SC-V1000 is A4 and weighs 59 kg
- Ink only as original Epson packs (Replaceable Ink Pack System)
- poor customer reviews and disputes over third-party ink and ink pads for consumer printers
Facts
| Headquarters | Suwa, Nagano, Japan |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1942 (as Daiwa Kogyo), Seiko Epson since 1985 |
| Size | ¥1,362.9 billion revenue, 75,352 employees (fiscal year to March 2025) |
| Stock exchange | Tokyo Stock Exchange, since 2003 |
| Print heads | in-house development and manufacturing (Micro Piezo, PrecisionCore) |
| SC-V1000 warranty | 36 months on-site service |
| UV printer distribution | through retailers, Epson Deutschland in Düsseldorf |
History
Epson's roots lie in Daiwa Kogyo, founded in 1942 by Hisao Yamazaki in Suwa and initially a supplier of watch parts for Seiko; today's Seiko Epson Corporation was formed in 1985 from the merger of Suwa Seikosha and Epson Corporation. The first mini printer, the EP-101, came in 1968, the name Epson ("Electronic Printer's Son") dates from 1975, and Micro Piezo inkjet technology followed from 1993. The company has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since 2003. In the financial year to March 2025 the group generated revenue of 1,362.9 billion yen with 75,352 employees. Since 2019 Epson has increasingly sold its print heads to other manufacturers, and in 2024 it launched its first compact UV flatbed printer for promotional items, the SC-V1000.
Customer support and warranty
According to Epson, the SC-V1000 is sold through authorised retailers (in Europe since July 2024), so advice, installation and first contact usually go through the retailer. Epson gives a 36-month warranty with on-site service. In Germany, Epson is represented by Epson Deutschland GmbH in Düsseldorf, and German-language help is available via epson.de and the retailer network. For consumer printers the picture is mixed: the Trustpilot profile epson.de stands at 1.3 out of 5 with 124 reviews (as of 10/2026), with complaints about repairs being refused after the warranty ends; for the professional devices sold through retailers, comparable experience is lacking.
Environment and commitment
Epson pursues Environmental Vision 2050 (CO2-negative and free of non-renewable resources by 2050) with SBTi-validated targets: minus 55% emissions in Scope 1 to 3 by 2030. Since December 2023, all group sites worldwide have sourced electricity from renewable sources (excluding some sales sites and rented premises). By its own account, Epson has an EcoVadis Platinum rating (September 2025), is on the CDP A list for climate (2024), and many business inkjet printers carry the Blue Angel label. In Europe there is a take-back programme for ink cartridges.
Criticism and problems
2019 to 2022: In the USA, class actions were filed (including Mondigo et al. v. Epson America) because firmware updates were said to have blocked printing with third-party ink; in 2022 a settlement was negotiated, and its terms are not public. 2022: Criticism of the "end of life" message caused by full waste ink pads, which shuts printers down via a counter; Epson then changed the wording and points to a paid replacement programme or a reset tool (The Register, August 2022). In 2015 Epson reported cartridges as empty although, according to reports, they still contained up to 20% ink. These points mainly concern consumer inkjet printers, not the SC-V1000.
Sources (11)
Research as of 10/2026. Information on support and reviews changes; please report errors via the Contact form.
Official help and wiki: Epson Support