Top Ten Copier & Imaging Industry Predictions for 2020

I am not aware of the specific details on the new approx April 2020 Toshiba Tec A4 designs.

I do know that Toshiba Tec is moving away from SED-HDD towards a SSD in their products. Toshiba Corp is a world leader in SSD technology so expect something interesting in that area.

If the new A4s are going to be larger than a tabletop that would partially explain why the Toshmarks will remain in the product line. I know Toshiba Tec is working on a tighter integration with these models.

The Toshmarks are nice because we can place them in Lexmark accounts using Lexmark original print drivers.  Dealers like the Toshmarks because Toshiba is a lot less painful to get support from than Lexmark with hardware at about the same cost.

SalesServiceGuy posted:

Expect a Toshiba Tec manufactured A4 product line maybe as early as April 2020 using the same eBridge Next operating system as the current A3 product line.

The current "Toshmark" e478s/e389cs/e479cs product line sells well and will continue.  These Lexmark models can currently use the Toshiba original Universal 2 print driver.

I would not expect any news or interest in the Production space from Toshiba Tec.

Yes - Toshiba is introducing two A4 units, I believe, and from what I hear, they are not much smaller than their A3 cousins.  While I have heard claims they did this to minimize CPC's, it is probably because Toshiba did not want to invest in creating a whole new product line, rather tweak an existing one.  It is wait-and-see time.  Question is, will it fit on a desk/credenza?

As to Production, I am well aware of Toshiba's lack of vision/desire in that arena, as I tried for years to push for that product.  I do not see Toshiba making anything on their own.  TTEC needs to address their OEM arrangements in that segment and secure both B&W AND Color Production units.  Talks with Fuji should prove eye-opening, and, from what I have heard, might be underway.

Expect a Toshiba Tec manufactured A4 product line maybe as early as April 2020 using the same eBridge Next operating system as the current A3 product line.

The current "Toshmark" e478s/e389cs/e479cs product line sells well and will continue.  These Lexmark models can currently use the Toshiba original Universal 2 print driver.

I would not expect any news or interest in the Production space from Toshiba Tec.

I agree with SALESERVICEGUY on his Toshiba/Lexmark comment, and the relationship between Toshiba and Lexmark has been very strong for a dozen+ years.  I was actually a bit shocked that Lexmark re-labeled KM instead of Toshiba for their A3 products.  The Toshiba product line has always been strong, and the newest series does NOT disappoint.  The issue with Toshiba is that they have been resistant to investing the resources to offer a complete Toshiba-made, e-Bridge lineup from A4 all the way to Segment 6 B&W and Production Color.  The OEM arrangements Toshiba has made in the past, for B&W Production, were not successful.  The problem was not that the equipment is bad, it is just not Toshiba e-Bridge, and it is difficult to sell into some major accounts when the majority of your equipment is e-Bridge Driven, and then the Production is not (Think Drivers, Software Connectors, etc.)

I do not think that a Toshiba merger with someone like Lexmark would benefit either company, unless the combined company would dedicate the resources to offer production B&W and Color.  I think a more logical merger would be Toshiba/Kyocera or Toshiba/Sharp.  Kyoshiba?  Tosharpa?  I am pretty sure the Japanese do not want to lose another manufacturer to Chinese control, so I would lean more toward Toshiba/Kyocera.

However, I would not dismiss the idea of a Toshiba/Fuji partnership of some sort.

Prediction 11.  As eCommerce continues to grow at a rapid rate, the label printing industry is expected to grow with it.  Expect more players with color label printing equipment.

Toshiba Corp does not own the majority of shares in Toshiba Tec Corp.

Toshiba Tec is an independent corporation and owns 51% of its shares therefore controlling its own destiny.  Toshiba Corp owns the remaining 49%.

NineStar remains highly leveraged from its $3.6B 2016 acquisition of Lexmark and has fully tapped two lines of credit to keep operations functioning smoothly.

NineStar can access unlimited funds from the Chinese gov't to fund future acquisitions under the China 2025 initiative.  This program is designed to enable Chinese companies to dominate state selected strategic global industries like IT hardware.

To be sure, Toshiba Tec and Lexmark have developed a deep, mutually beneficial corporate partnership.

Currently, Lexmark A3 product is all relabelled Konica Minolta product.

A more possible prediction is that Lexmark would relabel Toshiba Tec A3 product.

Lexmark like Toshiba Tec both hold little interest to compete in the Print Production market where Konica Minolta excels thereby removing a Konica Minolta advantage.