For most people, recycling means separating old newspapers from empty plastic bottles and other trash.
But, at Doral-based Advanced Business Computers, at 1523 NW 89 Ct., recycling is responsible for a rapidly growing business that employs 11 people and serves almost l,000 customers in Miami-Dade and Broward, as well as Nassau in the Bahamas.
Mike Klein, an experienced computer software engineer, started Advance Business Computers in 1989 to provide businesses with a low-cost alternative for replacing expensive laser printer cartridges. He says the cost of a recycled cartridge is about 20 to 50 percent of the cost of a new one.
ﾓRecycling is the responsibility of everyone,ﾔ said Klein. ﾓBy offering a very reliable product at a fair price, we have helped our customers to save thousands of dollars in supplies and repairs, while re-directing thousands of pounds of trash from landfills and into useful products.ﾔ
Klein says that initially the company recycled only toner cartridges for Hewlett Packard printers, but now they recycle 73 types of cartridges for every brand of laser printer, as well as cartridges for ink jet printers.
ﾓWe provide a hassle-free service and reliable products at a fair price,ﾔ said Klein. ﾓThis favorable reputation among businesses and other organizations has opened the door for us to offer a variety of other products and services.
ﾓThe experience we gained in working with computers and laser printers so that we could produce recycled cartridges gave us the expertise necessary to repair them. Approximately 33 percent of our revenue now comes from our repair division. We have four technicians who repair computers, laser printers, fax machines and copiers. Most of the time they can repair the customerﾴs equipment without removing it from their office.ﾔ
Advanced Business Computers repairs all brands of laser printers, most dot matrix printer brands, all DOS and Windows based computer systems, and most brands of fax machines. The company was one of the first service organizations in the nation to service MFCs (printer, copier and fax machine in one) and is an authorized dealer for all Brother products, printers and fax machines, as well as MFCs made by Hewlett Packard, Lexmark and Okidata. It also sells supplies for all brands of printers, copiers and fax machines.
ﾓJust as our repair division grew out of our cartridge recycling service, our network division grew out of our repair division,ﾔ said Klein. ﾓSeveral law firms, accounting practices and other mid-sized companies with 20 to 50 employees expressed a need for a qualified service center. They told us they were tired of companies that either did know what they were doing or did not have the parts in stock. As a result, we now install and maintain networks for a wide variety of firms. We service Novell, LANtastic and Microsoft networks.ﾔ
Advanced also carries several brands of physical security devices for computers, printers AV and office equipment.
ﾓThese products stop thefts cold,ﾔ said Klein. ﾓSince we started with Anchor Pad, we have successfully cross-marketed 50 per cent of our Anchor Pad accounts for our other services.ﾔ
Advanced Business Computers has established an enviable reputation in the South Florida business community, evidenced by a client list that includes Dade County Schools, Southcom, Homestead Air Force Base, Rachlin Cohen & Holtz CPAﾴs, Terramark,Tarmac Cement, Elizabeth Arden, Bell South, Baptist and Jackson Memorial Hospitals, the University of Miami, the Nassau Marriott Casino, the Crystal Palace Casino Resort and many others.
By Art Jacobson, Doral Tribune, FL
