Canon Celebrates a Decade of Dedication to Customer Service with Tenth BenchmarkPortal Center of Excellence Certification

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, achieves its 10th consecutive BenchmarkPortal Center of Excellence Certification. One of the most prestigious accreditations in the customer service and support industry, this certification honors customer service call centers that rank in the top ten percent of call centers surveyed.

“This certification signifies Canon’s leadership and commitment to balancing cost-effective service solutions with best-in-class service performance,” says Bruce Belfiore, CEO, BenchmarkPortal. “To maintain superior performance for ten years straight is, indeed, an exceptional accomplishment.”

To evaluate a call center, BenchmarkPortal researchers audit and validate companies against a balanced scorecard of metrics for efficiency and effectiveness. The balanced scorecard includes key performance indicators, customer satisfaction ratings, cost, and quality-related evaluations.

“We are honored that BenchmarkPortal recognized us for the tenth year in a row as a leader in providing an outstanding customer service and support experience,” says Leroy Farrell, vice president and general manager, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Engineering Services and Solutions, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We built our Customer Solutions Center more than a year ago to evolve with the industry’s changing needs and seamlessly provide innovative, end-to-end service solutions. To us, this certification signifies that the center is doing its job, and doing it well for our channel partners and customers.”

The Customer Solutions Center fosters collaboration, with technical support, engineering, and development teams working together within one location to employ cutting-edge technologies that deliver outstanding service and support solutions to Canon channel partners, and in turn customers, across the enterprise, production, large format, image capture, and desktop imaging product lines.

About Center of Excellence Certification 
Contact centers and their managers who wish to implement best practices and attain world-class performance in their industry have a unique opportunity to certify their contact centers. BenchmarkPortal’s rigorous certification process has the advantage of referencing all performance goals to their best practice database of thousands of contact centers. Thus, contact centers will be held to performance levels that will improve their competitive position, not just force them to adhere to an arbitrary standard. Discover what the steps to certification are and how they will improve your center’s performance.

https://www.benchmarkportal.com/cont…certification/.

About BenchmarkPortal
Founded in 1995, BenchmarkPortal is a global leader in the contact center industry, providing benchmarking, certification, training, consulting, research and industry reports. The BenchmarkPortal team of professionals has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to best practices for the contact center indus*try. BenchmarkPortal hosts the world’s largest database of contact center metrics, which is constantly being refreshed with new data. BenchmarkPortal’s mission is to provide contact center managers with the tools and information that will help them optimize their efficiency and effectiveness in their customer communications.

For more information on BenchmarkPortal please call 1-800-214-8929 or visitwww.BenchmarkPortal.com.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2017† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2018. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based service and support for all of the products it distributes in the United States. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon Americas Headquarters secured LEED® Gold certification, a recognition for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA. For media inquiries, please contact pr@cusa.canon.com.

 

^†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Minoru Asada to lead Océ

Looking towards new management as Océ moves into a new phase, Mr. Anton Schaaf has decided to step down as CEO.

Mr. Anton Schaaf has played an important role as CEO of Océ since 2012, with a focus on investing in new products and technologies. Océ wants to thank Mr. Schaaf for his valuable contribution and leadership in the past years and wishes him all the best.

With immediate effect, Mr. Minoru (Mick) Asada has been appointed CEO and Chairman of the Board of Océ, a Canon company.

With a Canon career dating back to 1985, Asada has been the acting COO of Océ since September 2018. He has a wealth of International experience having served in senior leadership positions both at Canon’s headquarters in Japan, and for over a decade in various roles in the United States. His previous responsibilities include managing the finance group for the Peripheral Products Operations business unit.

With a deep financial and accounting background, and a solid understanding of Oce’s business, Asada’s experience is ideally suited to the short-term challenge of improving Océ’s performance and profitability.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to lead Océ at what is a very important time for the company”, says Asada. “In the short term, we will be focused on improving our performance and profitability whilst ensuring that we remain at the forefront of innovation in the commercial printing industry. I am confident that we have the foundations in place to continue to lead in both product excellence and customer service for many years to come.”

Konica Minolta – Notice regarding completion of the transfer of non-current assets (follow-up)

To whom it may concern,

Company Name: Konica Minolta, Inc.
Representative: Shoei Yamana, President and CEO
Stock Exchange Listing: Tokyo (First Section)
Local Securities Code Number: 4902
Contact: Mami Iwamoto, General Manager, Corporate Branding Division
Tel: (81) 3-6250-2100

Konica Minolta, Inc. (the “Company”) announces that as of today, December 25, 2018, it has completed the transfer of the assets announced in the “Notice regarding the transfer of non-current assets” released on June 27, 2018, and the schedule of transfer has been changed as follows.

1.Details of the change

The Company has completed the transfer of the remaining part of the assets of Tokyo Site (Hachioji) – Land, which was initially scheduled in March 2019.
The transfer of the assets will not cause relocation of the offices of Konica Minolta Group (the “Group”) located on the transferred land because of the lease agreement with the transferee that allows the Group to continue using the assets.

2.Details of the transferred assets

Details and locations of the assets		Gain on transfer	Current state
Land	93,014.25 m2	13.9 billion yen	Tokyo Site (Hachioji) – Land
Locations	2970-1 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, 2970-9 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, and 2970-10 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo

Note:There are no changes in the transferred assets from the previously disclosed information. The transfer of the assets located at 2970-1 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, and at 2970-9 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, has been completed, and a gain on transfer of 8.6 billion yen was recorded for the six months ended September 30, 2018. The Company refrains from disclosing the transfer price and book value due to confidentiality obligations to the transferee.

3.Reason for the change in the transfer schedule

The preparation for the transfer of the assets was complete earlier than the scheduled transfer date.

4.Summary of the transferee

There are no relevant changes to the previously disclosed information.

5.Transfer schedule

(1) Date of decision made by the representative executive officer	June 27, 2018
(2) Date of conclusion of the agreement	June 27, 2018
(3) Delivery date	June 28, 2018 (transfer completed)	2970-9 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo,
	September 27, 2018 (transfer completed)	2970-1 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo,
	December 25, 2018 (transfer completed on this date)	2970-10 Ishikawa-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo,

6.Future outlook

The transfer of the assets above is expected to result in recording of a gain on sale of non-current assets of 5.3 billion yen for the nine months ending December 31, 2018. As to the effects on the results of operations for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, the transfer of the assets does not cause changes in the “Consolidated forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019” released on October 30, 2018.

3D Printed Racing Sailboat is Officially Unveiled and Ready to Hit the Ocean

3D printing has taken to the seas – and lakes, and rivers – before in the form of 3D printed canoes, kayaks and other boats. Earlier this year, a group of companies including chemical company LEHVOSS Group and 3D printing startup OCore began developing plans to 3D print the hull of a competitive sailboat. The hull has now been completed and was recently unveiled during a ceremony at the sailing club Circolo della Vela Sicilia (CVS) in Italy. 

After the opening remarks in the ceremony, but prior to the presentation of the boat, OCore and the other project partners explained in detail the technologies that were involved in creating the boat.

“OCore, supported by the project partners, has developed a dedicated technology,” said Daniele Cevola, Managing Director of OCore. “This includes a robot, software and printing technology, including the print head. OCore succeeded in developing a material deposition system that, using the logic of a proprietary algorithm, replicates organic and morphologically complex structures. This provides lightness and resistance to a boat that could not be built in any other way.”

OCore’s technology focuses on high performance composites like plastics reinforced with carbon and glass. The LEHVOSS Group, which has been putting more effort toward developing 3D printing materials recently, created a customized material for the boat. LUVOCOM 3F PAHT CF is a high performance polyamide reinforced with carbon fibers. It offers high stiffness and strength and low weight, and is optimized for 3D printing, allowing high Z-layer strength.

“We are proud to be a partner in this exciting project and happy to be providing support with our material and processing know-how,” said Thomas Collet, Director of Marketing at LEHVOSS.

The sailboat is 6.5 meters long and was designed for racing, particularly the Mini Transat Race which will be taking place in September 2019. The race is no quick jaunt – it will begin in France, make a brief stop in the Canary or Madeira Islands, and will finish in Brazil, 4,000 miles from the starting point. The boat will have plenty of time to practice before then, and it is expected to begin its first sailing tests in early 2019. For such a demanding race, a tough boat is needed, and the Mini 650, as it has been named, is that. 3D printing allowed the craft to be made both lightweight and strong, a combination that will give it a distinct advantage as it sails across the ocean.

3D printing also greatly reduced the time it took to fabricate the boat, as well as making it a more economical project. Not only is the hull 3D printed, but the deck and other functional parts are as well. If the Mini 650 wins the Mini Transat 2019, it will also be a big victory for 3D printing technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Clare Scott

[Images: LEHVOSS Group]

 

Ricoh publishes 2018 Integrated Report

Ricoh has announced that it has issued its annual report, the Ricoh Group Integrated Report 2018, which provides an informative overview of how the Ricoh Group creates new value.

According to the OEM, it is aimed at addressing the needs of all stakeholders, including shareholders and investors, and is presented in a concise and easy-to-understand format.

With the new President of Ricoh taking office in April 2017, the Ricoh Group made a new start under its 19th Mid-Term Management Plan. During the fiscal year ended 31 March 2018, the first year of the Plan, the Group pushed forward with strategic changes and structural reforms for future growth, under the slogan of “Ricoh Resurgent.”

In the current fiscal year, the second year, under the slogan “Ricoh Ignite,” the Group says it is leveraging the fruits of the reforms undertaken to date to deploy new strategies to reach challenging targets through Group-wide efforts. The Report presents the progress made under the 19th Mid-Term Management Plan and its growth strategy, together with an introduction of each business domain.

Ricoh explains that the OEM places the understanding of the stories behind the Group’s value creation efforts as the main priority in compiling the report. The company says that, “through this Report, we hope to foster greater understanding and support on the part of all stakeholders for the many facets of Ricoh Group’s business activities, and channel the resulting feedback into efforts to further improve management and enhance corporate value.”

You can find the Integrated Report here.

A small island gets caught in China’s Pacific power game with West

 

Bougainville’s huge copper reserves and independence vote draw global interest

 

A small island has found itself caught in the escalating battle for influence in the South Pacific.

On both economic and diplomatic fronts, Papua New Guinea’s autonomous region of Bougainville has become a key piece in the game between Beijing, on one side, and the U.S. and its allies on the other.

With Bougainville holding one of the world’s largest untapped deposits of copper, Chinese and Western companies are weighing the prospects for reopening its Panguna copper mine — closed since a vicious civil war broke out in 1989. The island is also set to hold an independence referendum on June 15, potentially creating a new country that could vote in international forums such as the United Nations.

John Momis, president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, told the Nikkei Asian Review that Chinese businesspeople raised the matter of investing in the mine on a visit to PNG ahead of last month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the capital, Port Moresby.

Momis said he told them that, “Panguna is not an easy issue, and as far as ABG’s concerned we have decided to put it on the back burner until the referendum.”

The peace agreement signed by the PNG government and island leaders in 2001 created the ABG and set the stage for the referendum. Chinese involvement with the mine would give Beijing a direct role in the economic future of a newly independent nation as it seeks to secure resources and expand its strategic network. It would also boost China’s sway in its power game against the U.S. and regional rivals such as Australia.

But given its potential resources, the government in Port Moresby would be loath to lose the island, especially the Panguna mine. And while the referendum is not binding, blocking a secession backed by most of the local population might be a recipe for renewed unrest in the volatile country.

Diplomatic sources said 99% of residents will support independence; Ted Wolfers, a professor at Australia’s University of Wollongong, said the consensus is an “overwhelming majority” will vote that way. But he also suggested PNG would not let the island go easily.

“PNG’s government might talk the autonomous government into settling for greater autonomy that falls short of independence,” Takehiro Kurosaki, a junior associate professor at Japan’s Tokai University said.

The island, and particularly the mine, have a tangled present shadowed by a brutal past. The decadelong civil war that killed more than 20,000 people — about 10% of Bougainville’s population — was triggered by resentment over pollution and revenue distribution from mining. Bougainville was also a battlefield when Japan invaded the island during World War II in an attempt to cut off a sea-lane between the U.S. and Australia.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill shake hands after unveiling a plaque during the opening ceremony of the China-Aid PNG Independence Boulevard Project in Port Moresby on Nov. 16, ahead of the APEC summit.   © Reuters

PNG desperately needs foreign currency. In September, the government issued its first dollar bonds and managed to raise $500 million — crucial funds as the country attempts to manage $2.5 billion in foreign debt, almost $590 million of which is owed to China, according to Reuters.

“Beijing’s trade and investment in the region is focused mostly on Papua New Guinea, the region’s largest economy and home to rich gold and nickel mines, liquefied natural gas, and timber forests,” the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in a report in June.

The report notes that state-owned China Metallurgical Group manages development of a $1.4 billion nickel and cobalt mine in PNG, with funding from the Export-Import Bank of China. This, the report says, is “China’s largest single investment in the region and its biggest foreign greenfield mining project.” About 40 Chinese companies operate in PNG, according to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Indeed, Beijing offered PNG about $60 million worth of aid to host the recent APEC forum, according to a diplomatic source. This included road repairs and a supply of bulletproof vehicles.

China currently has eight South Pacific countries in its corner, including PNG, while Taiwan has the recognition of six, such as the Solomon Islands. Chinese President Xi Jinping has made little secret of his desire to deepen Taiwan’s isolation; there is talk of the Solomons, where China has also opened up its checkbook, switching allegiances.

Papua New Guineans, including some wearing Chinese flag T-shirts, gather to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping in Port Moresby on Nov. 16. The road was constructed with funds from Beijing. (Photo by Fumi Matsumoto)

China’s outreach to the South Pacific has spurred Western allies to, belatedly, push back.

In the run-up to the APEC meeting, Australia and New Zealand — long the main benefactors for South Pacific nations — joined the U.S. and Japan in announcing a plan to build up PNG’s electricity infrastructure.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, in his speech at the APEC summit, announced a plan for U.S. cooperation in bolstering a naval base on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. In remarks clearly directed at China, Pence referred to recent naval exercises with India and Japan, and said: “We will work with these nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights of the Pacific islands as well.”

For now, the island states find themselves in the enviable position of being courted by China, the U.S. and its allies all at once.

PNG has accepted a Chinese proposal to build an internet network using loans from the Chinese Ex-Im Bank and technological support from Huawei Technologies. PNG picked the Chinese proposal over one from the U.S. and Australia.

A similar story is being told across the South Pacific.

Vanuatu signed an agreement with China to take part in Beijing’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. In return, China agreed to a moratorium on nearly $3 million worth of debt, according to a local newspaper. In April, reports surfaced that China was planning to build a military base in Vanuatu. Alarmed by this, the U.S. and Australia swiftly moved to start talks with the island state on a bilateral security treaty.

The increased attention from partners, both old and new, means that Pacific nations “now have more leverage,” said Jonathan Pryke from the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank.

The issues of the mine and referendum puts Bougainville firmly in the spotlight. While the situation on the island is replete with risks, Panguna’s reserves are very attractive to China, the world’s largest copper consumer.

The deserted mine contains more than 1 billion tons of ore, according to a study from 2009 — more than the 675 million tons extracted over the 18 years it was open. These deposits look even more valuable given global concerns over copper supplies, due to emerging market demand, depletion of known resources, rising mining costs and limited new discoveries.

The Panguna copper mine, which holds some of the world’s largest deposits, was at the heart of the Bougainville civil war that killed about 20,000. (Photo by Alex Smailes/Sygma via Getty Images)

A number of companies are circling. A Lowy report said there has also been corporate interest in the mine from Australia, the U.S., Canada and Brazil.

Whoever wins out will be able to cement a foothold in the region, but it will come at a financial cost.

Professor Wolfers said interested parties would have to consider the startup costs of reopening the mine, which he sees reaching as much as $8 billion.

Bougainville’s President Momis said the island’s government was taking a cautious stance on the investment interest.

“We don’t believe anybody who comes and talks about these issues until we see things in concrete and on paper,” he said.

 

Article first published @ Nikkei Asian Review

Author: FUMI MATSUMOTO, Nikkei staff writer

Nikkei staff writer Sarah Hilton in Tokyo and researcher Jennifer Walpole in Sydney contributed to this report.

Sharp boosts printer security with new launches

 

New printers include voice control, greater cloud integration and enhanced security features

In an effort to help accelerate the growth of the technology-driven workplace, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) has introduced a new line of its Advanced and Essential Series multifunction printers.

The eleven new models include seven that are available now with four models that will be available in early summer 2019. All of the new models come with an easy-to-use touchscreen display and now Sharp has added new features for conversational AI cloud integration and security enhancements.

The new MFP Voice feature, powered by Amazon Alexa, allows users to interact with their printer by using simple voice commands. Support for clouds services has also been expanded with the addition of Box and Dropbox.

Users will also now be able to directly print PDF files from a variety of sources thanks to Adobe’s Embedded Print Engine. Administrators will even be able to add new applications and update existing ones through Sharp’s new Application Portal which will be available in spring 2019.

Enhanced security

Both the new colour Advanced and Essentials Series deliver leading edge security features including firmware attack prevention and a self-recovery capability which can detect any malicious intrusions and restore the machines firmware back to its original state.

A whitelisting feature has also been added to protect the machines’ file systems from unauthorised access.

Vice President of Product Management at SIICA Shane Coffey explained the company’s motivation for launching its latest line of multifunction printers, saying:

“This is an exciting time at Sharp, as we roll out a new line of color workgroup MFPs that offer greater integration, enhanced workflow capability, and voice integration to meet the demands of today’s technology-driven workplace. Our focus continues to be to provide quality MFPs that deliver superior productivity, performance and ease-of-use. We’re proud to continue that tradition with this new lineup of color Advanced and Essentials series models.”

The MX-3071, MX-3571 and MX-4071 from the Advanced Series and the MX-2651, MX-3051, MX-3551, and the MX-4051 from the Essentials Series are available now with four additional models joining the lineup in early summer 2019.

Konica Minolta Awarded Top Position In the Tenth Quality Management Level Research by JUSE

Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that the company has been awarded the top position in the tenth Quality Management Level Research by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE).

In the research, Konica Minolta was among the top three in four factors among a set of six factors^* to evaluate systematic programs for improving quality and the status of ongoing activities. Notably, Konica Minolta was highly evaluated for its commitment to advancing cross-organizational efforts and promoting in-house digital reforms to establish an IoT-based production system independent of people and place.

*“Top management commitment,” “expansion of quality management,” “development of human resources to ensure quality management,” “establishment and compliance of processes,” “customer value creation,” and “capability to cooperate across divisions”

Konica Minolta’s Efforts

1. Promoting Service Development Using Design Thinking

Design thinking is introduced to create valuable services. The business divisions cooperate with the Human Experience Design Center to promote development. Design thinking is a mindset and a method for discovering the value that customers need. It helps create ways to realize that value by applying rapid cycles of observation, empathy, issue definition, idea generation, prototyping, and verification.

Based on design thinking, Konica Minolta will continue to pursue the creation of value that customers are truly seeking, in various business areas. It will also produce innovation that contributes to the identification and solution of challenges for society and local environments.

2. Quality Assurance System in Service Business Areas in the IoT Era

Konica Minolta has been transforming itself into a digital company with insight into implicit challenges, and has been expanding its scope of products offered to customers to service business areas. The company believes it must shift from product quality assurance to service quality assurance and establish the most innovative processes. The company promoted the construction of a service commercialization process, and human resource development for process management, to create a mechanism for ensuring quality in the upstream stage of the service business. Furthermore, a company-wide working group was established by the development and quality assurance divisions based on several key terms: cloud-based services, product security, and agile development. Konica Minolta has been promoting quality assurance in the service business areas worldwide.

3. Digital Manufacturing for Production Independent of People, Place, Country, and Variation

Konica Minolta has been promoting efforts to reform its manufacturing based on the IoT concept, and has been working to establish digital manufacturing. In addition to automating the work directly undertaken by people, digital manufacturing aims to create and utilize a mechanism to automatically collect huge amounts of information related to the production process by harnessing IoT-related technologies in order to produce substantial results. Digital manufacturing has been introduced in stages at Konica Minolta’s model plants. It has facilitated a shift from the conventional production system dependent on individual skills to a production system independent of people, place, country, and variation. It has also effectively saved manpower while maintaining quality. A project is underway to deploy digital manufacturing from Konica Minolta’s plants to main partner companies to produce more extensive results.

Overview of the Quality Management Level Research

The Quality Management Level Research, conducted every other year, offers an independent evaluation of up-to-date quality management in Japan. Analysis is made in six factors in terms of making a quality management system and actually running the system. Scores are given in each factor and summed up for the overall ranking.

The 10th research covered the manufacturing, construction, and IT service industries in Japan. It was conducted from July 2 to August 31, 2018, and 193 companies responded.

Awards roll in for Toshiba

The OEM’s American division has enjoyed a successful spell in recent weeks, with a trilogy of honours being awarded.

Toshiba’s Elevate MFP customisation platform, which allows users to personalise the interface of Toshiba’s e-STUDIO MFPs, received a 2019 Buyers Lab Pick Award from Keypoint Intelligence. The cloud-based platform lets users add functionality, automate common and sophisticated tasks, promote commonly-used features, and incorporate their branding, on a fully customised front panel. The latest version, Elevate 2.0, also features Elevate Composer, enabling non-technical personnel to configure and design a bespoke MFP “in minutes.”

“Elevate Composer is a simple, yet elegant solution that enables Toshiba partners to deliver MFPs that are truly customised to each customer’s needs,” said Keypoint Intelligence’s Director of Solutions Analysis, Jamie Bsales. “It enhances the value proposition of the hardware, making it an integral part of a customer’s business processes.”

Toshiba’s Chief Marketing Executive Bill Melo called the award “an incredible honour for everyone at Toshiba associated with our latest UI.”

“Elevate Composer presents our reseller community with the capability to personalise an e-STUDIO MFP to meet the specific workflow needs of each client,” Melo continued. “This level of customisation enables ends users to perform often complex tasks at the touch of a button.”

The Buyers Lab Pick Award was followed by a Better Buys Editor’s Choice Award, for its e-STUDIO 5015AC series of MFPs, with the Elevate platform again receiving plaudits.

Toshiba’s five next-generation MFPs received the honour after outperforming similar colour, high-volume, multifunction printers in side-by-side comparisons. Better Buys testers particularly highlighted the e-STUDIO 5015AC series’ “premium feature set, competitive price and overall value.” Better Buys also presented high grades to the OEM’s Elevate platform.

“Toshiba continues to upgrade its MFPs in order to help companies print more securely, efficiently and effectively,” Better Buys Editor Melissa Pardo-Bunte declared. “One of the features we particularly like is the new Elevate touchscreen interface that automates common workflows while providing customizable templates for each business need.”

Toshiba’s e-STUDIO5015AC series MFPs combine an Intel Atom processor with next-generation security protection, “to help tackle virtually any print, document management and workflow application in a secure manner.” The products adhere to the Hard Copy Device Protection Profile (HCD-PP), which helps ensure all scans, copies, faxes and digital document prints meet rigorous security assurance standards. The Toshiba products also support NFC Authentication, a security protocol embraced by the mobile device community, which simplifies login for users of many Android devices.

“The entire Toshiba team is grateful to again receive such a notable award from a preeminent industry authority as Better Buys,” said Bill Melo. “Our latest colour, high-volume MFPs have also struck a chord with organisations seeking superior document management and support.”

Last but not least, the OEM was also celebrating the bestowal of a Top Workplaces Award 2018 by The Orange County Register.

Toshiba earned the honour based on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner, Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey measured several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution and connection.

“Top Workplaces is more than just recognition,” explained Energage Chief Executive Officer Doug Claffey. “Our research shows organisations that earn the award attract better talent, experience lower [staff] turnover, and are better equipped to deliver bottom-line results. Their leaders prioritise and carefully craft a healthy workplace culture that supports employee engagement.”

Samantha Gowen, Business Editor of The Orange County Register and Southern California News Group, said: “The business community in Orange County offers a shining example of what successful workplaces look like. Over the course of 11 Top Workplaces programmes, The Register has shared with our readers how these employers elevate their associates and ultimately their product.”

“Key among those responsibilities is acknowledging the power of the team,” Gowen continued. “An inclusive culture remains one of the best workplace standards for employers, and we see that in our honourees each year. Congratulations to each company and organisation for exemplifying ideals.”

Toshiba’s Vice-President of Human Resources, Joan Maesky, expressed her delight at the news: “The entire Toshiba team is truly honoured to win the 2018 Orange County Register Top Workplaces Award. Toshiba’s core values are designed to establish a positive, engaging and stimulating workplace where people want to work and every employee’s thoughts and opinions matter.”

“We value this award tremendously because it comes from our greatest asset, our people,” she added.

“Becoming a Top Workplace isn’t something organisations can buy,” Claffey concluded. “It’s an achievement that organisations have worked for and a distinction that gives them a competitive advantage. It’s a big deal.”

7 trends that will redefine the print industry in 2019

2018 saw the print industry continue to face the stark realities of digital disruption. While HP continues to strengthen its lead in an increasingly commoditised market, the traditional copier companies such as Konica Minolta, Ricoh and Xerox continue to take differing approaches to retain relevance. Konica Minolta is banking on its Workplace Hub pro platform to extend  its IT services reach in the SMB market; Ricoh is maintaining focus on a broad range of print, workplace and IT services, while Xerox is driving its connected MFP business (under the cloud of recent merger troubles).  Whatever the outcome, the industry must continue to embrace the following trends that will define success or failure in 2019.

1. IoT  momentum will fuel print security spend

IoT-type security vulnerabilities on printers will become a more common attack vector as cyber-attacks that exploit IoT devices show no sign of abating.  Protecting today’s print environment is challenging due to its complexity, particularly with mixed fleets compromising outdated old and new devices. GDPR has driven some improvements in print security, but there is still some lack of awareness of the potential IoT security risks around printers and smart MFPs.

Attackers are not only seeking the confidential information that gets stored on print devices, but also to use them as network access points in the same way as other IoT-type devices are being abused. As more MPS providers patch, maintain and manage print devices through the cloud, security will become paramount. Automated, cloud-delivered, patch management ensures that discovered vulnerabilities, which vendors are most likely to know about first, are fixed as soon as possible.

Print manufacturers need to expand their security assessment and monitoring services, along with partnering with traditional IT security vendors, particularly in the area of threat intelligence. This will be imperative to ensure that print security is treated with the same priority as the rest of the IT infrastructure. Although HP has put a stake in the ground when it comes to print security, 2019 will see competitors, particularly the managed print service (MPS) providers, expand their print security products and services.

2. Continued print and digital convergence

Print and digital convergence will drive increased demand for integrated document workflow in 2019.

Despite the rapid adoption of digital and mobile technologies, many businesses remain reliant on print to some extent. Quocirca’s Global Print 2025 study revealed that 64% of businesses believe that printing will remain important to their daily business even by 2025. This is partly due to an ongoing need for physical signatures, and receipt of paper communications from suppliers, along with the preferences of customers and employees. All this is a significant opportunity for MPS providers to articulate a clear proposition around integrated paper and digital workflow services.

Xerox has taken a lead here with its ConnectKey platform and, if it can drive engagement with its channel to develop workflow apps that help bridge the paper to digital divide, it will help businesses make better use of existing Smart MFP investments. As businesses look for guidance with digital initiatives, MPS providers that have the digital workflow skills to drive efficiency and productivity improvements, will be best positioned to succeed.

3. Cloud MPS comes of age

Cloud-delivered MPS will become more prominent, reducing the burdens associated with managing print. Managing print on-premise is expensive. For example, moving management to the cloud enables print jobs to be submitted to a virtual print server, rather than multiple on-premise servers. A few vendors have already made steps in this direction such as Lexmark, Ricoh and Xerox, along with Y Soft who recently announced cloud-based print services. Lexmark’s cloud service offers a hybrid option that ensures print jobs are kept inside the firewall, providing customers the efficiency of cloud services while minimising security concerns.

Cloud services offer channel partners, looking to improve profitability and deepen customer relationships, a flexible and low-cost approach to MPS and access to the SMB market.  2019 will undoubtedly see more MPS providers extend their traditional offerings to the Cloud.

4. The big data opportunity will remain unexploited

The promise of big data analytics will not deliver in the short term.

Although the big-data opportunity has enormous potential for the print industry, most manufacturers have yet to capitalise on this. While some leading MPS vendors do use analytics to optimise printing practices, by understanding what is printed or scanned by whom and where, this could be taken to a new level.

Manufacturers could use all this data to gain customer insights and market and deliver new services. However, print management analytics tools are often not designed for the big-data analysis required, and many MPS providers lack the necessary business intelligence analysis skills.

Exploiting big data and predictive analytics will demand new expertise and competencies. This will need to be built through a big-data talent acquisition strategy, driven either organically or through new collaborative partnerships. One vendor that is already making strides in this space is Ricoh, which already offers comprehensive analytics services to help design smart workplaces, that incorporate additional collaboration and communication services such as virtual meeting rooms, interactive whiteboards and video conferencing.

5. IT services expertise will be key

Quocirca’s Print 2025 research revealed that businesses will favour IT service providers over traditional print suppliers by 2025. Channel partners must expand their IT expertise either organically or by partnering with experienced IT service providers, providing access to a broader product portfolio, for example, offering print security as part of an overall managed security service offering. For manufacturers or large channel organisations, acquiring IT providers can be an effective means of gaining the specialised sales and support expertise required. Some manufacturers including Kyocera, Konica Minolta, Ricoh and Sharp have already made the shift, expanding their managed IT service capabilities largely through acquisition; more activity can be expected in 2019.

6. Leading players will offer managed IoT services

MPS providers have a strong legacy in managing the most established IoT-type devices on the network – printers and multifunction printers (MFPs). Effective MPS platforms already drive the performance, reliability, security and continuity of the print infrastructure through device monitoring, analytics, remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance. The emergence of enterprise IoT platforms offering asset management, fault detection, smart analytics and remote monitoring presents a broader opportunity for MPS providers to participate in the IoT space. This opportunity is not limited to traditional IT endpoint devices but could also encompass intelligent workplace and smart building assets such as thermostats, lighting and video cameras.

As enterprise IoT gathers pace, MPS providers should evaluate opportunities to integrate their technology with enterprise IoT platforms. Although managed IoT services offer a breadth of opportunities, providers also need to consider the security challenges. While most MPS providers offer robust security to protect print devices from external hacking and to prevent exposure of confidential information, the management of new IoT devices requires new competencies to identify and monitor device vulnerabilities. Collaborating and partnering with third-party providers to gain expertise in IoT device management and security is therefore the best way forward for looking to extend capabilities.

7. AI enters the workplace

Smart workplace technology services will start leveraging artificial intelligence.

2018 saw some rudimentary voice recognition capabilities emerge for smart printers and MFPs. We can expect to see enhancements of these in 2019. HP and Xerox have both developed capabilities. Momentum will largely depend on partnerships with companies like Google and Amazon, for example with the use of the latter’s Alexa for Business. For traditional print manufacturers, who need to be more relevant in the future workplace, developing capabilities in this area will be key.

 

Over the next year the print industry continue its reinvention, requiring that manufacturers and their partners drive relevance, not only through compelling print and digital workflow offerings but also by offering services that are more relevant to the smart workplace. Digital transformation will continue to be high on the agenda of most businesses, and this will remain an opportunity for industry players to position their products and services as a means of helping businesses drive efficiency. Printing in the workplace may be gradually diminishing, but it is not disappearing and suppliers that are best positioned to succeed will be those that extend their offerings and software competencies to serve broader IT requirements as the print and digital worlds become ever more closely intertwined.

Author: Louella Fernandes