In 1974, the Portland Trailblazers were beginning their fourth season, the Fremont Bridge was just completed, and Ed Pickens opened Imperial Office Machines in South East Portland. Imperial quickly became a regional leader in office equipment, specializing in IBM and Royal typewriters. As technology changed, so did the products Imperial sold. The plain paper fax machine and xerographic copier became the staple products of the industry. Imperial became an authorized Canon dealer in 1993 and is proud to represent Canon’s quality line of copiers, wide format printers, scanners, and document management solutions. Though the products and technology have changed, Imperial’s values and focus have not. ​Copier Renting vs Leasing A common question we get asked is whether we rent copiers. Equally as often we get asked if we lease copiers. Same thing? Not exactly… Copier rentals are for short periods of time. Anywhere from one day to six months is not uncommon. There is no minimum amount of time or set return date. When flexibility is needed and no commitment is wanted, then a copier rental makes sense. Copier rentals typically include all toner, service, and supplies packaged into the rental price. Copier leasing on the other hand requires a commitment to a certain length of term. The most common are 36, 48, and 60 month leases. Leasing is a cost effective strategy to acquire office equipment without tying up capital needed elsewhere. Leasing often includes the equipment and service, giving the lessee predictable monthly printing expenses. Many offices find the best part of leasing means getting a new machine every few years. This helps any office keep up with constant changes in computer systems and security protocol.