Katsuhisa Asari: Our strong market presence in India reflects our commitment

Rahul Kumar (RK): At Drupa this year, Konica Minolta had the seventh-largest booth and at least 20 product premiers. The focus was on end-to-end solutions. How did the market respond to your offers?

Katsuhisa Asari (KA): Konica Minolta had a substantial presence at Drupa, highlighted by a vast booth and numerous product launches, which generated immense excitement and interest. Our focus on end-to-end solutions resonated strongly with the market. The ability to showcase over 30 hardware and 25 software products, including inline finishing options for production presses, demonstrated our comprehensive approach to addressing customer needs. We looked upon the opportunity to present end-to-end solutions to the customers from pre-press, press to post-press solutions, including embellishment. The customers were excited to see the solutions and as a one-stop OEM to their needs in the production environment with automation.

RK: Konica Minolta’s approach appears to be a one-stop solution provider, offering, “the print room of the future.” Could you explain this approach?

KA: Konica Minolta aims to revolutionise the printing industry by transitioning from analogue to digital processes. We offer a holistic solution, encompassing commercial, label, packaging, and industrial printing. Our extensive product range, coupled with pre- and post-printing solutions, positions us as a one-stop shop, optimising efficiency and minimising environmental impact.

RK: What’s new at Konica Minolta? At Drupa, there were talks about programmatic printing with AI and Industry 5.0 focusing on sustainability…

KA: Konica Minolta is at the forefront of industry transformation. Our Drupa showcase featured groundbreaking technologies, including AI-driven programmatic printing and sustainability-focused Industry 5.0 initiatives. Ex Kansei, a predictive software utilising eye-tracking data, offers invaluable insights into consumer behaviour. By understanding attention, impression, and positioning, businesses can make data-driven decisions to optimise marketing materials. It also includes the first-of-its-kind B1 size digital inkjet press Alphajet with spot UV and digital Foil. We also launched our next generation B2 size Digital Press KM 60000 with printing. Among solutions, we also demonstrated KM strength in inkjet head technologies and colour management.

RK: Today, the line between a commercial printer and a converter is getting blurred, with most commercial printing venturing into packaging as well. Under these circumstances, who are your ideal customers? What are your approaches to reaching out to them?

KA: The printers and packaging converters are now feeling the need to expand and offer more solutions to the changing requirements of the customers, primarily because of the number of SKUs and personalisation/customisation options. Konica Minolta targets businesses entering the cosmetics, FMCG, healthcare, and pharmaceutical sectors, which require short-run, high-quality packaging. Our comprehensive solutions, including smart and sustainable packaging options, perfectly align with their needs. By educating customers about packaging opportunities, we expand their business horizons and create new growth avenues.

The Konica Minolta India team at Drupa 2024

RK: How is your label press business doing? Is anything new on this front?

KA: Our label press business is thriving due to increased demand from new market entrants. The ease of use of digital printing is encouraging more companies to get into digital label printing, a segment which is fast growing. The AccurioLabel 400, with its white ink capability, caters to a broader range of industries. We are optimistic about continued growth in this segment.

RK: Inkjet is the talk of the town. You have done a lot of work on the inkject technology. What’s the latest?

KA: Inkjet technology is rapidly gaining prominence, and Konica Minolta is at the forefront of this revolution. Our latest inkjet innovation, the AccurioJet 60000, made its debut at Drupa. This high-speed, UV inkjet press boasts impressive speeds of 6,000 sheets per hour while delivering exceptional image quality. Building upon the success of our AccurioJet KM-1e series, the AccurioJet 60000 offers enhanced features and usability, providing customers with maximum value and efficiency. We also demonstrated the new Alphajet B1 size inkjet press with UV and foil and the inkjet solutions from MGI for spot UV and digital foil.

RK: Recently, we read that Fujifilm Business Innovation and Konica Minolta are planning to form a strategic alliance involving production printing devices, multifunction and office printers. Please share some details.

KA: We have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin a feasibility study for a strategic alliance in the multifunction printer (MFP), office printer and production printer segments.

RK: How is Konica Minolta doing in India? Could you please share the latest installation numbers? What according to you is the most popular KM product in India?

KA: Konica Minolta holds a dominant position in India's digital production printing market, boasting a market share exceeding 50%. Our comprehensive product portfolio caters to a diverse clientele, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can find tailored solutions to optimize their operations. This strong market presence is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional products and services to our Indian customers. Currently, Konica Minolta in India has the widest portfolio in the industry, which empowers customers to choose based on their needs and market demands. We provide solutions to all the major segments in the printing business including commercial printers, packaging printers, print shops, label converters, service bureaus, book printers, etc.

RK: In the last two years, Konica Minolta India conducted several roadshows to reach out to customers in tier-2, and tier-3 cities. How successful was the initiative?

KA: Being a market leader in digital production printing in India for more than a decade, we take this opportunity to expand the market to smaller cities and create more opportunities for printers to embrace the benefits of digital printing. The PrintXpress flagship roadshows have been instrumental in expanding Konica Minolta's footprint across India. By reaching previously untapped markets in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, we have identified significant growth potential. Moreover, our initiative to empower local entrepreneurs with the right tools for charting a lucrative career in the printing industry has induced much-needed impetus in the overall development of the printing industry in these regions.

RK: What’s next in your plan to capture the digital printing market in India?

KA: Konica Minolta is dedicated to the long-term success of our Indian customers. Our future plans involve the development of cutting-edge, sustainable solutions that address the evolving needs of the market. By combining innovation with a deep understanding of customer requirements, we aim to drive efficiency, profitability, and growth for businesses of all sizes.

Katsuhisa Asari: In Brief

Your proudest achievement in the Drupa year?

The successful launch of the AccurioJet 60000 stands as our proudest moment. Gauging the overwhelmingly positive response from customers and industry experts, we are proud our innovations are so well-received. 

Who is a typical KM customer?

Our ideal customer is a forward-thinking business seeking to create and optimise their printing business. Whether it's a commercial printer, packaging converter, or in-house print department, we offer tailored solutions to enhance efficiency, productivity, and output quality.

Which is your popular press model?

The KM-1e remains a highly sought-after press due to its exceptional reliability, versatility, and image quality. It has consistently delivered outstanding performance for our customers across various applications, making it a cornerstone of our product line.

How much of your business comes from repeat customers?

Our strong base of repeat customers is a testament to our commitment to customer satisfaction and long-term partnerships. Their continued trust in Konica Minolta is a driving force behind our success and reinforces our position as a reliable industry leader.

What’s your team’s favourite print success story among small business units in India?

It would not be right to mention one as a favourite success story because as I have already mentioned for us it is about the uniqueness of every customer and we value that as for us every installation is equally important because it is not only a machine purchase it is a long term association which is built between the customer and the brand, machine installation is just a beginning of that bond and relationship.