LANGENHAGEN, Germany — May 9, 2016 — At drupa 2016, the stage will be set for Konica Minolta to launch officially KM-1, underline its commitment to the label and packaging markets, unveil more plans in its cooperation strategy with MGI across the globe, as well as break new ground with major rebranding of its commercial printing products as Accurio.
Official Launch of KM-1
The KM-1, Konica Minolta’s eagerly-awaited B2+ UV inkjet press, will be officially launched at drupa 2016. At Konica Minolta’s booth, it can be found in the B2 inkjet printing zone, where it will perform in combination with MGI’s JETvarnish, showing visitors a wide range of benefits. They include moving short-run offset to digital inkjet, the ability to carry out hybrid printing with the integration of KM-1 into existing offset processes, duplex printing and larger sheet sizes, as well as printing on packaging board, lightweight papers and textured stock. For more information, please visit Konica Minolta’s microsite, fully dedicated to inkjet and KM-1.
Labels and Packaging Industries
Konica Minolta commits to make fully-fledged inroads into the label and packaging sectors. At drupa, Konica Minolta will show how a combination of its bizhub PRESS C71cf, GM DC330 Mini finisher and MGI’s JETvarnish can reduce label print run lengths, enabling faster delivery times and opening the doors to value-added on-demand label runs.
Furthermore, for those looking at optimizing opportunities in the digitally-printed packaging space, Konica Minolta will stage a technical showcase of a new technology: KM-C. This flat-bed B1 format inkjet digital press has been developed for folding carton and thin corrugated applications for a thickness of 0.3 – 1.2 mm. Further details will be disclosed at Konica Minolta’s drupa press conference on 31 May at 1:00 p.m. in room 7, CCD Süd, as well as at the company’s drupa booth in Hall 8B, stand A65.
Additional Stake in MGI Digital Technology
In April 2016, Konica Minolta announced it is to invest an additional stake in MGI Digital Technology (MGI), the French-based leading decorative printing equipment manufacturer, with which Konica Minolta has had a financial and strategic alliance since January 2014. The stake investment of a further 30.5% of MGI’s shares increases Konica Minolta’s stake in the company to 40.5% and adds MGI’s products for commercial print, labels and packaging to Konica Minolta’s existing and growing portfolio.
Already, MGI’s hot foil stamping and embossing equipment has been added to Konica Minolta’s product line. With the additional stake in place, Konica Minolta now intends to harness MGI’s R&D power to accelerate its initiatives for application development in areas such as labels and packaging. In response to the demand for decorative printing in the labels and packaging area, the creation of synergy between Konica Minolta and MGI will also give Konica Minolta a strong presence on the digital packaging printing market and drive forward expansion in commercial printing.
Accurio Branding
Accurio is a common and unified new brand for all of Konica Minolta’s inkjet digital press and digital workflow solutions. The Accurio name reflects the advanced, automated and, most of all, accurate nature of Konica Minolta’s technology. Henceforth Konica Minolta’s commercial printing solutions will be known as AccurioPro, while the KM-1 will become AccurioJet KM-1.
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About Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH, based in Langenhagen, Germany, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta Inc., Tokyo, Japan, forming part of its Business Technologies business area. As a leading global services provider in the field of IT- and document processes as well as digital production printing solutions the company excels in services-led business consulting, implementation and management and provides a range of world-leading printing systems and solutions.
In this context, Konica Minolta’s Optimized Print Services concept (OPS) combines consultancy, hardware, software implementation, and operation in order to enhance business process efficiency and cost-effectiveness. To support customers optimally with powerful and sustainable solutions, technology leader Konica Minolta continuously invests in research and development work and regularly sets new standards.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe is represented by subsidiaries and distributors in more than 70 countries in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. With over 33,000 employees around the world (as of March 2015), Konica Minolta’s Business Technologies business area earned net sales of over EUR 5.8 billion in financial year 2014/15.