DIGITAL PRINTING
According to Malhotra , the pandemic was tough for print producers who depended on domains like travel , restaurant , wedding , hotel , and retail because these were some of the worst-hit sectors during the lockdown . But on the other hand , customers running short-run and label businesses recorded exponential growth simultaneously . “ During these uncertain times , we can say that the trend was about switching from largerun prints to short-run prints , which eventually is making the printers to think digital as a part of their print process ,” Malhotra argued .
Demand for KM label presses grew
Konica Minolta India has witnessed growth in its label printing machines in 2020-2021 . In fact , with the advent of Covid-19 , the company saw a significant uptick in the print volumes happening on the digital label machines . “ We have successfully managed to surpass installations from single to double digits during this phase ,” said Malhotra .
For Konica Minolta India , the period of April to June last year was slow in terms of business growth . But this slowdown was followed by continuous growth though not as buoyant as the pre-pandemic era .
“ We are now seeing constant support from our customers , which is attributed to the kind of trust and commitment we have shown for the last several years ,” Malhotra said .
The takeaway
Malhotra believes that the Covid-19 pandemic has been a great learning curve that taught companies the importance of agility and how they can help ensure continuity even during unexpected times like these . From the point of view of the industry , it is clear that digital will play a pivotal role for players across various value chains , he said .
Malhotra added that companies
should also focus on adopting new ways of communication . “ For instance , print is one of the forms of communication . It is thus crucial for players to modify printers that can understand the document life and keep customers engaged throughout this cycle in sync with the evolving business landscape ,” he said .
The pandemic impacted Malhotra on a personal level too and like everyone else , facing this abrupt , unexpected , and grave situation made things a bit unsettling . “ However , as I realized that Covid-19 implications would probably stay longer than we initially anticipated , I immediately started working on a properly maintained schedule . I have always believed that time management and self-discipline are the keys to selfgrowth . So , I used this opportunity to enhance my skills , spend quality time with my family and friends , and develop creative ideas to enhance my professional life . It took time to get into that groove , but I was able to achieve it steadily ,” he concludes . n
Update on fire and explosion at Konica Minolta toner factory
Konica Minolta finalizes 8 November for Tatsuno factory restart
SHARDUL SHARMA
Konica Minolta on 19 October confirmed that production at the Tatsuno factory will resume on 8 November 2021 , as planned . In an update issued in late- September , the company had mentioned 8 November as the tentative restart date . In a statement issued on 18 October , the company incorrectly noted the production resumption date as 18 November . The Tatsuno factory produces toners for on-demand digital printing systems .
“ When this notice was first published on 18 October , the date for Tatsuno factory to restart production was incorrectly noted as 18 November . The correct date of
The Konica Minolta toner production plant in Tatsuno , Japan Photo Konica Minolta
Tatsuno factory ’ s resuming production is 8 November ,” the company said .
Kofu factory , after suspending its operation since the accident in August at Tatsuno Factory , resumed toner production on 18 October . Before restarting production , the factory completed its risk assessments on the safety measures by experts without problem .
Konica Minolta said the group
Indian Printer & Publisher | 1 November 2021
33