The unstoppable rise in inkjet production has been spotlighted by Konica Minolta as it continues to help customers with their digital transformation across commercial and industrial printing markets. Digital technology enables access to many features that customers in the commercial print, packaging, and industrial sectors seek for profitable applications.
Within three years, Konica Minolta’s global market share of B2 inkjet systems has tripled and now stands at 10 per cent. Numbers are expected to continue upward as inkjet continues to break new ground as a real growth engine for digital printing. Once reserved mostly for transactional applications, production inkjet has become a viable and advantageous solution for many high-value applications.
Konica Minolta’s AccurioJET KM-1 series B2 UV inkjet sheetfed press enables high productivity inkjet printing to address a wider set of application needs. With close to 30 installations in Europe alone, Konica Minolta reports that its own customer base is increasing average page volumes every year significantly. Whether it is book printing, online production, packaging, direct marketing, commercial printing, or being used as an offset alternative, the AccurioJET KM-1 series is demonstrating its versatility across multiple product lines. The press has also achieved INGEDE deinking accreditation for both uncoated and coated papers, which includes recycled qualities.
According to research from Keypoint Intelligence, when printers were asked what type of colour digital printing equipment they would be investing in for the future, inkjet was the clear favourite with inkjet cut-sheet systems as the second most popular choice with 34 per cent of the respondents.
Megatrends, where inkjet will evolve to contribute ever-more sustainable solutions, include smart packaging and recyclability on substrates such as metal, glass, flexibles, and rigid plastic. These were among the conclusions from a Smithers report, ‘The future of Digital Print for Packaging to 2026.’
Manuel Elder, Vice President of Packaging at Hama Germany said, “the opportunities for AccurioJET KM-1e lie in the expansion of the packaging assortment, the production of further high-quality packaging as well as the acquisition of further assortments, such as folding boxes for the packaging sector. The ability to print on many different materials, for example, stone paper and plastic, also offers possibilities for the future.”
Hidetoshi Omo, Head of Center of Competence, KM-1 at Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe added, “opportunity is everywhere. Working closely in partnership, we are helping customers to ignite print possibilities in a sustainable way by injecting newfound creativity into their continued digital transformation. Our own customer experience is that inkjet is very much a growth market in which printers want to invest.
“However, for us, it is not just about machine sales – we accompany our customers on their digital transformation journey and are always there when they need us. Thinking of service engineers as just one example, we are proud to have 45 dedicated KM-1 and KM-1e service engineers across 17 countries in Europe.”