From Digital to Physical: Bring High-Quality Prints to Life With Konica Minolta’s Production Printers

The production printing industry is flourishing, with growing demands for high-speed printing for a vast range of applications such as publishing, advertising, packaging and more. Partly fueled by trending shifts from offset to digital production printing, the print equipment market is set to reach a staggering US$15.75 billion by 2026, in spite of the COVID-19 economic downturn in 2020.

Amidst such heavy competition, how can print service providers stand out from the crowd? The key to success lies in achieving speed, quality and reliability. Companies with the capability to bring customers’ digital designs to life with vibrant colour accuracy, superior efficiency, along with value-adding printing services stand to thrive in today’s saturated market.

Here’s a closer look at how Konica Minolta’s suite of AccurioPress production print solutions can help take your business to the next level.

1. AccurioPress C14000/C12000: Printing Made Simple

The AccurioPress C14000 and C12000 are designed to make large-volume production printing an absolute breeze. Rest assured that you can depend on these outstanding flagship models to deliver consistent print quality day after day, with unparalleled ease and efficiency on a variety of media.

One of the key features of the AccurioPress C1400/C12000 includes the Intelligent Quality Optimizer IQ-501. It provides revolutionary automation, enabling you to adjust print quality on the fly and ensure only the best prints leave your business.

With speeds of up to 140ppm on the AccurioPress C14000, you can significantly reduce turnaround times and produce more top-quality print products faster than ever with this printing equipment in your arsenal. Combined with hassle-free inline finishing capabilities such as cutting, creasing, and binding, the AccurioPress C14000 series is sure to enhance your operational efficiency and deliver the fastest return on investment.

2. AccurioPress C7100/C7090: Agility Beyond Comparison

The revolutionary AccurioPress C7100 series was developed with one core goal in mind: to create a press that works smarter, not harder. Optimised performance, reliability and durability are key drivers of business profitability — all of which can be achieved with the help of the AccurioPress C7100 series.

Even the most complex projects can be completed without a hitch, as the user-friendly functions make handling effortless even for rookie operators. With innovative technology such as the Simitri® V Toner the AccurioPress C7100 series guarantees the best possible print quality on various media.

Achieve flawless print quality that your clients will love and unlock new opportunities for business growth with the AccurioPress C7100 series.

3. AccurioPress C4080/C4070: An All-In-One Powerhouse

If you are looking for a well-rounded production printer, then the AccurioPress C4080 series is the way to go. A wealth of functionalities is packed into one single, versatile press: two-sided banner printing, professional inline finishing, an Intelligent Media Sensor, seamless integration and outstanding paper compatibility, just to name a few.

Without a doubt, the AccurioPress C4080 series is your trusty companion when it comes to growing your business and developing new revenue streams in untapped markets. This agile production colour press is equipped with innovative imaging technology, allowing you to dazzle your customers with eye-catching colour prints for every print job.

With versatile configurations to choose from, the AccurioPress C4080 series truly does it all — be it flat sheets, duplex long sheets (up to 864 mm), and sophisticated inline finishing options to meet customer demands.

Redefine Print Quality For Greater Business Success

The AccurioPress range of production printers by Konica Minolta offers the best of both worlds in terms of quality and quantity — delivering consistently exceptional prints at lightning speeds for faster output. Take the first step towards bringing top-quality prints to life with our series of printing systems today. For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of specialists

Revisiting Office Printer Security

There is no denying that data privacy and security are some of the most important aspects of a business. From monitoring systems such as CCTVs to user access control through biometrics, physical security is often the first security pillar that is extensively strengthened. However, with the growing importance of cybersecurity, businesses are forced to revisit and reassess every possible risk their organisation is exposed to. One such vulnerable area that enterprises should be concerned about is their office printer.

The Rise in Printer Security Issues

Though tasked to perform the menial work of printing business documents, unbeknownst to most, printers, just like any other technological equipment, are susceptible to malware and cyberattacks. Back in 2018, a hacker discovered 800,000 exploitable printers online and selected approximately 6% of them to print out dubious content – one of which was located within a police station. In a similar light, cybersecurity experts at CyberNews accessed close to 28,000 unsecured printers around the globe, hijacked them, and forced them into printing guides on improving print security. Although these are rare cases of ethical hacking for a good cause, they accurately demonstrate how printers are now easy prey to cybercriminals.

With more businesses pushed into decentralised work arrangements due to the pandemic, the risks posed by these print devices are bound to increase. By managing multifunctional printers (MFPs) and other networked printers in the Cloud, intellectual property and sensitive personal data are left out in the open if not configured and secured properly. This is where the thorough protection of office information through data security functions of an office printer turns into a business solution that must be leveraged.

Protecting Office Information with bizhub i-Series Printers

An MFP that functions as an office hub, the bizhub C650i/C550i/C450i series by Konica Minolta supports a new-value office by catering to the heightened need for security. This 2nd generation bizhub i-Series significantly reduces the burden placed on IT managers by boosting security levels of office data and paper documents. Paired together with Konica Minolta’s Remote Care solution, businesses can rest assured that their data will never fall into the wrong hands.

1. Device Level Security

Beyond cyberattacks, information can be stolen directly from printers as well. To ensure controlled accessibility and that hard drives in the office printers are well protected, bizhub i-Series delivers advanced security settings. Through the bizhub SECURE services, data stored in the printers’ SSD and network settings are safeguarded effectively. This is taken up a notch with its password setting capabilities, optimal authentication systems, and PC login profiles, all of which can be customised to suit existing print systems and office scale.

2. Network Level Security

From in-built robust anti-virus software to its ability to achieve serverless printing in a ubiquitous network, the bizhub C650i series reinforces an organisation’s defence. The Bitdefender scan engine sources out latent viruses from files that are sent to the MFP. This mitigates the risk of disseminating infected files throughout the company’s network. Since connecting printers to an isolated network segment makes it challenging for hackers to compromise a printer, the prerequisite for authentication before print outputs guarantees that no information is sent to any third-party extension unit.

Bitdefender Antivirus i-Option (30 seconds)

3. Reduced Downtime & Increased Productivity

Labelled as a seamless service for businesses, the Remote Care solution works to keep your MFP secure while decreasing printer downtime. Offering automatic, customised updates to existing operating systems such as device firmware upgrades, remote maintenance, off-site troubleshooting, and scheduled data backup, offices will never have to worry about losing data ever again.

Improve Your Company’s Print Security Model

Counter printing security loopholes and revolutionise your workplace with the bizhub i-Series.  Efficiently block anonymous access to your network printers and maintain proper privacy settings with our office printers. For more information on which bizhub i-Series MFP is right for your business, get in touch with our experts.

An entire digital ecosystem to meet all your business needs

The Workplace of the Future looks at making workplaces more useful in real-time, improving workplace experience and efficiency for employees. Technology is now freeing us from the confines of our desks to work anywhere, any time and employees are looking for the flexibility of time away from their desks during their 8-hour working day. Our solutions look at making employees feel more connected to an organisation and enables collaboration buy merging people processes and technology.

A survey by the Future Workplace, a research firm specialising in preparing leaders for disruptions in recruiting, development and the employee experience, recently found that 76% of respondents believed work is no longer just about where you are – it’s also about what you get done. Driving this belief are generational changes in the workplace experience – both physically, and judged by the tools and technologies used. The survey found that 62% of respondents thought technology should help employees to be more productive and collaborate in a more interactive way.

Everything’s changing, and never more so than since the Internet of Things (IoT) began to play a role. The IoT has set the scene for a technological revolution, as the machines of all shapes and sizes location at home, in the office and surrounding our lives begin to communicate and automate tedious tasks and workloads, take care of our needs and allow us to focus on core business.

The Workplace of the Future requires teams to work smarter and more efficiently together – whether they’re face-to-face or thousands of miles apart. According to the Deloitte Millennial Survey, 59% of millennials considered the standard of the technology provided by potential employers when considering a job. What’s more, 78% of millennials said they were influenced by how innovative a company was when applying for a job.

Digitisation, globalisation and demographic change are changing the labour market and creating challenges for companies. At the same time, however, the future of work offers opportunities.

Demographic change: staff are also getting older

One key factor that will change the world of work in future is demographics. By 2030, the young population and number of people in middle age will both shrink considerably. The proportion of older people, on the other hand, will increase significantly. The consequence: a drastic reduction in workers aged 15 to 54 and increased competition for young members of staff.

The influence of globalisation

Advancing globalisation will also influence work in the future. It is breaking up established patterns of the global economy. In this context, economic centres that were based in Europe or the USA for decades are increasingly moving to Asia. And it will also be true in future that companies will produce even more than now in countries where labour costs are significantly lower.

Correspondingly, jobs that require minimal qualifications and skills are being created away from developed nations. Globalisation is not only shaking up job profiles and focal points of production. It is also making competition ever more intense.

The consequence: companies are forced to operate in various nations, sometimes with cross remote teams to enable greater productivity and profitability.

Digitisation creates new jobs

In addition to globalisation, digitisation is also a major factor for the future of work. First things first: the fear of the power of machines is not justified. Although many jobs will be lost through automation and other technologies, the creation of new careers will balance out the disappearance of other positions.

Digitisation creates more opportunities for skilled specialists and highly qualified staff in particular. In addition, it generates completely new professional branches: it is assumed that 65% of today’s children will do jobs in future that currently do not even exist.

Above all, companies will have increased demand for jobs involving research, communication, creativity, decision-making and coordination.

More and more people will work in corporate services, in the consulting, legal, administrative, engineering and IT sectors. Financial services providers and the healthcare and social services sectors are growing and will be advertising more positions in future. And the creative and communications industry is also experiencing an employment boom, especially in advertising and marketing.

Rethink the Future

Employers are looking for ways to attract and retain staff. A positive workplace experience helps achieve this goal. Space is currently a fixed cost but making it a variable cost can allow you to instigate change in your workplace strategy.

This is where occupancy management comes in handy: the “feeling of being connected” to an organisation is a real part of the workplace experience, increasingly achieved outside the world of the corporate intranet and e-mail. Today, it constitutes the main reason for a greater interest in digital signage.

Let us help your business transform towards the future. Get in touch with us today.

Build your bridge to success with the AccurioPress C4080 Series, Konica Minolta’s newest line of production presses. With enhanced finishing, intelligent automation, flawless quality and advanced capabilities, build your perfect configuration from a range of innovative possibilities leading to opportunities that will grow your business.

Trends in the Print Industry for 2021

Marked by a year of massive change, 2021 brings new opportunities and challenges, influenced by the paradigm shift in consumer purchasing patterns and business models. Moving out from a state of paralysis, businesses now need to focus on rising above the crisis to meet new demands.

Signaling Trends

Covid-19 has not only disrupted how organisations globally conduct business, but also effected a cascading chain of impact down to the specifics, of which print production is one. Approximately 70% confirm that the pandemic is severely disrupting the digital printing industry.¹ No longer can a defense of past successes support future ways of working, the printing industry will reflect transformative change necessary for relevancy and survival.

Provisioning of touchless technology

Touchless technology – from printers to common office equipment – will be part of back-to-office strategies. In balancing the need for profitability and employee safety, the importance of a digital printer that leverages touchless tech will be pervasive as general concern over cleanliness permeates.

Offering touchless technology to operate the digital printers is a step ahead in mitigating future virus transmission risks. A post-crisis workplace spells new demand for more secure, remote printing capabilities.² Konica Minolta’s range of multifunction peripherals (MFP), such as the bizhub C650i/C550i/C450i³ offers touchless connectivity, allowing users to use their mobile devices to access the printer through bizhub Remote Access.

Leveraging Variable Data Printing

Despite dips in physical retail shopping and in-person experiences, there are some industries that still rely on print production capabilities during the pandemic. Labels for healthcare products such as masks and medication are where digital printers continue to subsist.

Variable data printing (VDP) technologies employ customised messaging for different recipients. Examples include personalised mailers with individual customer names, headers and images used. The AccurioLabel 230⁴ lets you produce high quality labels and stickers at incredible speeds and flexibility, without compromising efficiency and quality.

Relying on Artificial Intelligence

Stockpiling food items and toilet supplies indicate a growing demand for more flexible print management. With these items flying off shelves at remarkable speed, producers need to keep pace with short run print production.

In fact, printing social distancing stickers and banners became an essential need for specific industries, such as supermarkets and clinics, around the world. Printers still need to continue their work, while keeping workers safe at the workplace. Using the Intelligent Quality Optimizer IQ-501 with the AccurioPress C14000, businesses can leverage on Artificial Intelligence to reduce human intervention and while helping to achieve high quality short run prints productively without print wastage.⁵

With digital printers, businesses can carry out short-run print jobs without compromising on cost and labour. This allows industries, like healthcare and food companies, to continue printing on-demand at lower costs, all while keeping their workers safe.

Redefining The Future of Printing

With Covid-19 having affected most industries, businesses globally are undergoing dramatic transformation and the digital printing industry is no exception. Speak with one of our consultants to see how Konica Minolta’s solutions can help you navigate the new normal.

Source

¹https://www.rolandberger.com/en/Point-of-View/Digital-workplace-in-the-era-of-Covid-19.html

²https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6827-file-sharing-security.html

³https://www.konicaminolta.sg/business/product/bizhub-c650i-c550i-c450i/

⁴https://www.konicaminolta.sg/business/product/accuriolabel-230/

⁵https://www.konicaminolta.sg/business/product/accuriopress-c14000-c12000/