Market Growth Projections Indicate That 3D Printing Is Heading Toward Mainstream Adoption, IDC Says

Emerging from a curiosity niche, 3D printing is now on the verge of mainstream adoption as businesses begin to recognize and embrace the cost and product manufacturing benefits of the technology. According to a new research study from International Data Corporation (IDC), the worldwide 3D printer market will experience tremendous unit and revenue growth from 2012 to 2017, with compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 59% and 29%, respectively.

“Print is extending beyond output on media to the creation of an actual object, and that presents incredible opportunity,” said Keith Kmetz, Vice President, Imaging, Printing and Document Solutions. “While traditional print technologies are facing maturity, 3D printers will see worldwide unit shipments grow by 10 times over the forecast period, and worldwide hardware value will more than double in the short term.”

The fast-paced evolution of 3D printing has moved well beyond early adopters and hobbyists, and is now being utilized regularly in business applications where substantial cost and time-to-market benefits are gained. In addition to general manufacturing/R&D applications, 3D print is also finding sweet spots in aerospace, automotive, education, dental, jewelry, medical, and recreation vertical industries.

Traditional printer vendors are increasingly seeing 3D printing as an opportunity, and are getting into the game. HP is preparing to enter the market in mid-2014, and Konica Minolta is about to sign a U.S. agreement to distribute a leading manufacturer’s 3D printers. Other printer vendors will look to enter this lucrative opportunity in the near future as well.

The IDC Special Study, Worldwide 3D Printer 2012-2017 Forecast and Vendor Shares (IDC #244304), examines the worldwide 3D printer market. It includes a competitive analysis of 25 3D printer vendors as well as worldwide market shares and a market size forecast through 2017. As the 3D printer market evolves and shows strong growth potential, this research addresses a number of important market developments for vendors currently participating in this market as well as for vendors considering 3D printing’s market potential. The report provides the following specific market insight in detail:

• Total worldwide 3D printer vendor market shares as well as worldwide product segment market shares (desktop and professional).
• Detailed vendor profiles of 25 3D printer companies. Each profile highlights the company’s product mix, go-to-market strategies, future market direction, and more.
• Total worldwide 3D printer market forecasts for hardware unit shipments, value of shipments, average selling value, and installed base. This data is also provided by both desktop and professional product segments.
• Worldwide value of the 3D printer annuity market consisting of materials and services.
• Geographic opportunities identified with regional segmentation (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (including Japan) and rest of world).
• Future 3D printer market outlook and expectations.

For more information, or to purchase this study, please contact your IDC Sales representative, or IDC Sales at 508-988-7988 or sales@idc.com.

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. For more than 49 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting http://www.idc.com.

All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

 

• Business
• Investment & Company Information
• International Data Corporation
• 3D printing

Contact:

IDC
Keith Kmetz, 508-935-4256
kmetz@idc.com
or
Michael Shirer, 508-935-4200
press@idc.com

Ink cartridge scammers forced to pen cheque for $AUD100k fine

This will make life interesting for managed print services providers

A company called Artorios Ink has been slugged with an $AUD100,000 fine after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) busted it for a scam that saw it cold call businesses and claim it was time for them to buy more ink cartridges.

The company’s modus operandi saw it call companies and claim:

• That the business had agreed to purchase printer cartridges from Artorios Ink, when in fact there was no such agreement;
• That Artorios Ink was an approved, regular or current supplier of the business, when in fact it was not; and
• that Artorios Ink had instituted proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria against the business to obtain payment for printer cartridges, when in fact Artorios Ink had not instituted any such proceedings.

The scam was eventually found out, the ACCC took Artorios to the Federal Court and the company’s principals wound it up in the midst of those proceedings.

Judgement has now been delivered, with Artorios’ two principals each ordered to hand over $50,000 fines after ‘fessing up to the scam.

Vulture South imagines that managed print services across the land may feel a little queasy about this case. We’re not suggesting that they over-service customers. But with the ACCC advising businesses to train staff so they don’t fall for such scams in future, folks carrying big bundles of ink or toner cartridges into an office are now going to arouse rather more suspicion than they did yesterday.

Article by By Simon Sharwood, 4th December 2013

Konica Minolta Launches bizhub Connector for Evernote App to bizhub MarketPlace

Easily Connect, Scan and Share Information in the Cloud with Newest App

Konica Minolta today announces the availability of the bizhub Connector for Evernote® app in the Konica Minolta bizhub® MarketPlace.  Providing direct access to Evernote, this new app allows users to view, print, upload and organize notes directly from the control panel of a Konica Minolta bizhub MFP.

Examples of how the bizhub Connector for Evernote app can be used include the following:

• Employees working in an office environment can now access saved notes from any device, including the Konica Minolta bizhub MFP.
• Frequent business travelers can access and print saved travel itineraries and documents.
• Legal professionals can safely scan and save notes from client meetings to access at a later date.
• Teachers can view and print saved lesson notes on demand, and from any bizhub device.

 

“The bizhub Connector for Evernote app reflects our continued commitment to developing apps that expand customer connectivity and capabilities,” says Kevin Kern, senior vice president, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.  “The bizhub MarketPlace has endless possibilities for meeting the ever-changing demands of our customers and we look forward to the addition of more and more innovative apps in 2014.”

Please visit www.bizhubmarketplace.com to learn more.

Happy Holidays

As we wind down here in Australia for the festive season, I would like to wish all my Konica Minolta colleagues, my Channel Partners, my industry friends, and my competitor counterparts a very happy and safe holiday season.

As we gather around what really matters in life – our families, let us take a deep breath and appreciate the little things in life…..

The look from ones wife (partner) just like when you first met, a hug from our kids, a lick from the dog (or cat) and a chance to take stock of what really matters.

It took me a long time to learn to let the incidental (which at the time I thought were world ending) things go, and I hope as you look up at the stars on Christmas Eve you also take that deep breath…

Byron

 

Change of Number of Shares Constituting One Unit and Partial Amendment to Articles of Incorporation

Company Name: Konica Minolta, Inc.
Representative Name: Masatoshi Matsuzaki, President and CEO
Local Securities Code Number: 4902
Contact: Yuki Kobayashi, General Manager, CSR, Corporate Communications and Branding Division
Tel: (81) 3-6250-2100

Tokyo (December 19, 2013) – Konica Minolta, Inc. (“Company”) today announced that the Board of Directors of the Company resolved to change the number of shares constituting one unit (“Share Unit Number”) and to amend the Articles of Incorporation in accordance with Article 195, Section 1, of the Company Law, as follows:

1. Change of the Share Unit Number

(1)Reason for the change

In light of the Action Plan for the Consolidation of Trading Units announced by Japanese stock exchanges, the Company will reduce the Shares Unit Number in order to create an environment where investors including individual investors will be able to make investments more easily and increase the liquidity of its shares.

(2)Details of the change

The Share Unit Number will be changed from 500 shares to 100 shares.

(3)Prospective effective date of the change

April 1, 2014

2. Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation

(1)Reason for the amendment

Due to the change of the Share Unit Number described above.

(2)Details of the amendment

As stated below.

(The underlined parts show changes.)

Current Articles of Incorporation (abstract)	After amendment (abstract)
(Number of Shares Constituting One Unit) Article 8. The number of shares constituting one unit shall be 500 shares.	(Number of Shares Constituting One Unit) Article 8. The number of shares constituting one unit shall be 100 shares.
(addition)	Supplementary Provisions Article 1. Amendment to the provisions of the Article 8 (Number of Shares Constituting One Unit) shall be effective on April 1, 2014. The provisions of this Article shall be deleted on the day on which the said amendment becomes effective.

(Supplementary information)
The trading unit of number of shares of the Company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange will also be changed to 100 shares effective April 1, 2014.

Y Soft has signed a global partnership contract with Konica Minolta

 

A global umbrella contract between Y Soft and Konica Minolta was ceremoniously signed in November.

Although both companies have been collaborating together for a long time on different levels, the umbrella contract about cooperation was successfully signed only now. “We had been considering the global umbrella contract for very long time, the negotiations on its establishment date back to 2010. The contract will optimize and synchronize our cooperation at a technical, business and developer level,” says Milan Fujita, who led the negotiations for Y Soft with the Japanese partner, about the document’s creation.

Y Soft and Konica Minolta are stable partners, who have already together hand in hand closed many successful business deals. The umbrella contract is the result of a quality partnership that will in turn lead to a further deepening of mutual connections and to improving services. “The parent company of Konica Minolta is openly communicating the signing of this important contract to their local representatives around the whole world at this very moment. We expect that a discussion about improving services, conditions and processes at a local level will follow,” concludes Milan Fujita speaking about the impact of the global contract in practice.

The signing of this more-than-one-hundred-page contract is an important step for Y Soft toward the further development and improvement of its product, services and relationships with existing and potential customers.

Konica Minolta wins Hong Kong Green Awards for a Second Year in a Row

Konica Minolta is committed to omnibearing sustainable development and has therefore won the Green Management Bronze Award (Corporate) under Hong Kong Green Awards 2013 organized by Green Council, in recognition of our outstanding performance in the areas of green policy, energy conservation, water conservation, waste reduction, indoor air quality control, carbon footprint reduction, green purchasing, promotion and training. The award presentation ceremony was held on December 5th, 2013 (Thursday) at The Mira Hotel. Mr. Leung Kin Hung, Manager of Service Planning Department received the award on behalf of the corporation.

With the spirit of “Green at Heart”, Konica Minolta has committed to social responsibility through enhancing the development under our environmental principles of 4Ps – Policy, Product, Program and People.

For the sake of improving environmental performance of daily operations, Konica Minolta has adopted self-developed Optimised Print Services (OPS) to improve information security and save resources by implementing IC card authentication.

Konica Minolta keeps improving the environmental performance of its products for providing total green business solutions. Besides its Multifunctional Products (MFPs), Konica Minolta’s Simitri Toner has also been certified with “Hong Kong Green Label”. Also, more eco-friendly materials, recycled PET plastics and bioplastic, are used for making the outer casing, covering more than 90 % of the front and back areas.

Konica Minolta is also committed to environmental education. It organized the annual signature event “Konica Minolta Green Concert” to arouse public awareness of energy conservation. Company staff, customers and organizations teamed up to join the “Power Generating Challenge”. This year, Konica Minolta and Hong Kong people have successfully created a new Guinness World Records™ Title “Most People in a Static Cycling Relay in 12 Hours” to spread green message among the public widely.

Furthermore, Konica Minolta continues organizing “Emerald Learning Program” with local green NGO to enhance the students’ experience outside of the classroom through various eco workshops and tours. Our customers and staff were invited to our eco-tours to learn about the nature environment of Hong Kong.

According to Mr. Yoshihisa Ishibashi, the Managing Director, “Konica Minolta is working hard to protect the environment and achieve our carbon reduction target throughout the product life cycle. Our Medium-Term Environmental Plan 2015 is to reduce carbon emissions by 20% by 2015, compared to 2005 level and we have achieved a 50% reduction in fiscal 2012, realizing our environmental sustainable development.”

Konica Minolta – “Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park Coral Eco-Tour”

More than 40 staff and customers joined “Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park Coral Eco-Tour” on December 7, 2013. The tour was organized by Konica Minolta and Sai Kung District Community Centre, aiming at introducing the participants the care needed to protect the environment and ecological resources.

Hoi Ha Wan is one of the best sea areas in Hong Kong with good water quality and diverse marine lives. After observing coral communities and marine lives on boats, participants visited lime kiln, a famous scenic heritage spot in Hoi Ha Wan, and learnt about the history of Hong Kong old lime kiln industry through explanations by tour guides.

Konica Minolta would like to encourage the participants to support local nature conservation by bringing them into closer contact with marine nature in this tour.

Konica Minolta Receives “2013 Environment Minister’s Award for Global Warming Prevention Activity”

Konica Minolta, Inc. has been awarded a “2013 Environment Minister’s Award for Global Warming Prevention Activity (Implementation of Countermeasures)” by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan, in recognition of the initiatives to prevent global warming through the company’s “Green Factory Certification System.”

Langenhagen/Germany, December 11, 2013

Presented each December during Global Warming Prevention Month, the Ministry of Environment has awarded the Environmental Minister’s Award for Global Warming Prevention Activity since 1998, honouring individuals or groups that have made significant contributions toward preventing global warming.

“We are very proud to receive this award that confirms we are successfully maintaining our path towards achieving our long-term environmental vision,” says Benjamin Bossdorf-Zimmer, Team Manager Sustainability Group, International Marketing Division, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe. “Under the communication message ‘Giving Shape to Ideas,’ Konica Minolta will keep developing new ideas that promise superior performance and seek to reduce our overall impact on the environment.”

The Green Factory Certification System is part of Konica Minolta’s Eco Vision 2050 vision. This vision is guided by three main goals for the year 2050: reduce CO2 emissions throughout the product life cycle by 80% compared to 2005 levels; promote recycling and effective use of Earth’s limited resources; and work to promote restoration and preservation of biodiversity. As part of this vision, Konica Minolta has established the “Three Green Activities” that will help achieve these goals. The Green Factory Certification System is one of the “Three Green Activities” and serves to comprehensively evaluate the environmental activities of Konica Minolta’s production sites. In place since 2010, the purpose of this system is to bring costs down and reduce environmental impact by developing activities in line with
each business’ production strategy.

For additional information on Konica Minolta’s corporate social responsibility, please read our CSR Report 2013

 

Product images are available at www.konicaminolta-images.eu

Terms and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged.

Contact Konica Minolta

Silke Zühlke
Konica Minolta
Business Solutions Europe GmbH
Phone: +49 (0)511 7404-5604
silke.zuehlke(at)konicaminolta.eu

Files:

PR_KM_Environmental_Ministers__Award_for_Global_Prevention.pdf182 K

HP to cut 1,124 jobs in UK

Hewlett-Packard is set to cut 1,124 jobs in Britain as part of plans to lay off 27,000 employees globally by the end of 2014, the company has said.

HP’s statement came after the Unite union said it had attended a meeting where managers were outlining their plans to cut jobs at the group’s sites in Bracknell, Sheffield and Warrington by next year.

The union said HP, which employs between 15,000-20,000 people in Britain, blamed falling demand and reorganization for the job losses.

A HP spokeswoman confirmed the number of job cuts but declined to comment on which locations they would hit. She said the company wants to complete the process by the end of January next year.

HP is striving to get back to growth through job cuts and focusing on businesses with longer-term potential such as enterprise services. Last week it surprised analysts by reporting stronger-than-expected revenue.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh, Editing by Paul Sandle and Louise Heavens)