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Konica Minolta Presents the Purpose of Its Professional Print Business at drupa 2024, the world's leading trade fair for printing technologies
Signing over 200 Business Contracts with Global Customers at the Event, Which Was Held on Site for the First Time in Eight Years
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Konica Minolta Presents the Purpose of Its Professional Print Business at drupa 2024, the world's leading trade fair for printing technologies
Signing over 200 Business Contracts with Global Customers at the Event, Which Was Held on Site for the First Time in Eight Years
July 5, 2024
Tokyo (July 5, 2024) - Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) successfully exhibited at drupa 2024, which was held in Düsseldorf, Germany from May 28 to June 7, 2024. drupa is the world’s leading international trade fair for print and cross-media solutions. A highlight video of the exhibition booth is available on its special website for drupa 2024 at:
https://www.konicaminolta.eu/eu-en/drupa2024
At the trade fair, which was held on site for the first time in eight years, Konica Minolta showcased various solutions for improving the working environment of printing companies, reducing environmental impact, and doing business sustainably by automating and saving labor in the printing process. The Company mainly featured the AccurioJet 60000, the flagship model of the B2-size inkjet press that was exhibited for the first time, and the AlphaJET, which was jointly exhibited with MGI Digital Technology (headquartered in France). Much positive feedback was received.
drupa offers an important opportunity to hold business negotiations with global customers in addition to exhibiting technologies and products. During the 11-day period, Konica Minolta signed over 200 business contracts with customers from around the world, including Europe, North America, India, China, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East. The number of contracts far exceeded those in the past.
Konica Minolta has defined the purpose of its Professional Print Business, which is one of the strengthening businesses in its Medium-term Business Plan and explained it to many global stakeholders. Based on the purpose, the Company will achieve sustainable business growth and solve social issues.
Purpose of the Professional Print Business
The purpose has been defined as: “Realization of better communication and a better society with the power of digital printing.” Konica Minolta aims to realize a sustainable printing industry and society by continuously offering unique value in line with this purpose.
Konica Minolta will solve the issues of shortages of skilled workers, growing demand for small-lot printing, and reduction in environmental impact, which are major issues faced by the printing industry, through its automation and labor-saving solutions based on its proprietary technologies and know-how and its capabilities to support customers.
Digital printing, which does not require printing plates, helps to minimize paper waste generated in the printing process, mitigate environmental impact by reducing the production and circulation of unnecessary printed matter, lighten the workload of operators, and solve labor shortages, including those in the logistics industry, by “printing highly effective printed matter only when necessary, where needed, and in the required quantity.” Konica Minolta aims to improve the value of printing and revolutionize the supply chain.
In addition to explaining the value to printing companies, Konica Minolta will further enhance its approach to brand owners, who order printed materials. The Company will create demand for printing that is highly effective in sales promotion through EXplainable Kansei (EX Kansei) solutions, which leverage the strengths of digital printing, and through unique services, including AccurioDX.
Konica Minolta demonstrating its presence by making unique proposals in the IJ component business, which is related to digital printing, and imaging IoT solutions by harnessing its proprietary technologies
While accelerating business selection and concentration in the Medium-term Business Plan, Konica Minolta has also been promoting activities to create businesses through collaboration among multiple businesses.
At drupa 2024, Konica Minolta also exhibited its products from its Industry Business, which is one of its strengthening businesses. The Company demonstrated the high-gap printing process using a thin-film IJ printhead, which is its proprietary technology. While the distance from the print media is 1 mm to 3 mm for an ordinary printhead, the Company’s KM800H-MR realizes high-gap printing of up to 20 mm. A demonstration of operation was given by simulating a cardboard transfer process. The excellent character printing quality was highly evaluated by many printer manufacturers and other partners.
Konica Minolta also exhibited solutions based on FORXAI, which is a key driver to accelerate digital transformation (DX) in the field with the imaging IoT technologies. For example, regarding an AI-based inspection solution for booklet printing using a 3D sensor camera and proprietary image analysis, the Company proposed automation of the inspection process for three-dimensional objects in the post-processing of printing, such as cutting, folding, and binding. Many post-processing machine manufacturers and printing companies showed interest in such solutions to replace the eyes and hands of skilled workers.
