5 Things You Didn't Know About HP Printers

HP is one of the top brands when it comes to printers. Their products range from home to office and even professional print shops, and many of their models are ranked as best in class by a number of prominent tech publications and websites. Here are some facts about HP printers you might not know.

It Doesn’t Stand For Hewlett-Packard (Anymore)

HP is short for Hewlett-Packard, right?

Nope! HP Inc. is the complete name of the printer company.

Hewlett-Packard Company was founded in 1939 by two graduates of Stanford University, with the business initially producing electronic test and measurement equipment. Over the years, the business grew to include servers, desktop and notebook computers, calculators, mobile phones, tablets, scanners, digital cameras, software, and, of course, inkjet and laser printers. 

In 2015, Hewlett-Packard Company was renamed HP Inc., and it spun off its enterprise product and business services division as Hewlett Packard Enterprise. In other words, Hewlett Packard is a completely different publicly traded company than HP and refers to a separate business.

HP Uses Their Own 3D Printers to Make 3D Printers

HP clearly believes in 3D printing’s ability to upend the manufacturing industry—the company uses its own 3D printers to make their Multi-Jet Fusion 3D Printers! Half of the plastic pieces used in this printer are also made by the printer.

HP Is the Original Silicon Valley Startup

Before Silicon Valley was a thing, there was HP. The business started in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California, in the heart of what’s now called Silicon Valley. This humble garage, located at 367 Addison Avenue, is an officially designated California Historical Landmark, marked with a plaque reading, “Birthplace of ‘Silicon Valley.” HP’s global operations are still directed from its headquarters in Palo Alto.

HP Is Committed to Sustainability

Greenpeace ranks HP highly in its Guide to Greener Electronics, which provides rankings on how electronics companies perform when it comes to reducing emissions, eliminating hazardous substances from their products, recycling obsolete products, and banning the use of unsustainable materials in packaging and products. HP was the first PC maker to release its supply chain emissions data to the public and it’s well-known in the industry for its recycling efforts.

This wasn’t always the case, though. In 2006, HP was accused of having higher levels of toxic chemicals in its products than most competitors. HP took this accusation seriously and committed to doing better. As of today, HP has achieved zero deforestation with its brand of printer paper, is ranked as the number one printer supply recycler in the world, and uses 1,700,000 pounds of ocean-bound plastic in its products.

HP Makes the World’s Smallest Laser Printer

At the time of this writing, the HP LaserJet Pro M15w was ranked as the smallest laser printer in the world, and also among the most affordable options. The LaserJet Pro M15w is fast, efficient, and performs well, which is why it’s often regarded as the best home printer on the market.

Learn More About HP Printers

At All Print Heads, we carry printheads and other parts for HP printers. Contact us today at 1-800-616-0584 to learn more or speak with one of our printing industry experts.