By DPS Staff
Canon Solutions America (CSA) recently hosted its 2014 Anniversary Event, which took place February 4 to 5 at its Boca Raton, FL production print solutions facility. Industry press and analysts attended the occasion.
Toyotsugu Kuwamura, president/CEO, CSA, greeted attendees with an opening address. In his presentation, CSA: Year in Review, Kuwamura discussed the company’s corporate structure transition. He points out that in 2012, Canon Business Solutions reported $740 million in sales revenue, while Océ North America reported revenue of $923 million.
The combined company closed its 2013 fiscal year with a total revenue of $1.7 billion. The company plans for 102 percent growth over the next few years, for a target $2.0 billion revenue in 2016.
Throughout the anniversary event, Canon and CSA executives took the time to speak about the past year’s successes as well as short- and long-term goals for the future within their respective segments.
LFS/PPS Update
Mal Baboyian, EVP, large format solutions (LFS)/production printing solutions (PPS), provided a review on 2013 as well as highlights, direction, and strategy for the two divisions moving forward into 2014 and beyond. Canon’s LFS encompasses technical document systems, display systems, as well as imaging supplies. Overall, Baboyian notes the company achieved its revenue target and profit target, while successfully integrating Océ into CSA.
Baboyian reports increased market share in the technical document market and UV-curable flatbed market.
Sal Sheikh, VP of marketing, CSA, further discussed CSA’s LFS. He reviewed new large format products introduced in 2013, including the Océ ColorWave 900, Océ Arizona 600 Series, the Océ PlotWave 750, and the Océ PlotWave 340/360.
Most recently introduced in December 2013, Sheikh, pointed to the Océ ColorWave 900, which experienced four customer installs in the last 60 days.
CSA’s PPS division targets the corporate enterprise and the graphic arts. Baboyian reports several accomplishments in the space, including the achievement of its revenue target and successful integration into CSA.
With an eye on growth in the production inkjet space, attendees were updated on the status of the Infinistream, a device that produces 14,400 B2-sized sheets per hour on a 28-inch web. The official launch of the press is slated for 2015.
CSA’s PPS future goals include extending market leadership in the transactional and direct mail markets, to grow market share and open new markets in publishing, commercial print, and packaging; continue to invest in inkjet, grow market share across all segments; and deliver industry leading customer satisfaction with service support, software, customized solutions, and customer development.
Francis A. McMahon, VP of marketing, further discussed CSA PPS, noting that in 2013, CSA’s U.S. customers printed 69 billion pages.
McMahon also revealed exciting announcements in terms of media, including the unveiling of a new media lab out of the Boca location. On March 1, 2014, CSA plans to open the new media lab, which is designed for live testing across inkjet and toner-based products. According to the company, the lab is the first of its kind in North America and complements the company’s existing labs in Poing, Germany and Venlo, Netherlands.
The media lab’s primary objectives include real-time media testing, service support, and the ability to deliver world-class samples.
Additionally, the company recently invited its media partners to participate in an effort to develop a global, vendor-neutral inkjet media catalog. Each participating mill submitted media that best represented their capability with inkjet platforms, and each were given a section of the catalog to promote the company’s offering, resulting in a tool that enables the user to examine all paper products qualities for Océ inkjet platforms.
BISG Overview
Dennis Amorosano, VP, Business Imaging Solutions Group (BISG) marketing and CISS professional services, Canon U.S.A., offered a review of the group’s activity in the past year, which included a two percent growth compared to 2012. In 2014, BISG is aiming for five percent growth by 2013.
In 2014, the key focus of BISG is to sustain growth and generate more profit under competitive market condition and prepare the changing market landscape to expand into new business domains and establish slim and efficient operations. The segment’s target is for 5 percent growth by 2013.
Amorosano walked through the recent introduction of the Canon imagePRESS C7011VP/S series of digital color presses. The new presses include six base models that offer print speeds of up to 70 or 60 letter-sized pages per minute with up to 1,200×1,200 dpi image resolution. The C7011VPS, C6011VPS, and C6011S models incorporate the company’s PRISMAsync controller, which streamlines production to make print workflows more intuitive and consistent. Several external server options are also available to help provide increased control over the printer for a customizable worklflow. Additionally, the C7011VPS, C6011VPS, and C6011S models are being introduced with a Long Sheet Feeder option, which expands the types of applications that can be produced.
At the event, CSA announced that GlobalSoft Digital Solutions has installed a Canon imagePRESS Color Series digital press with the Long Sheet Feeder solution—the first in the U.S.
Amorosano also discussed the recent introduction of Canon’s Niagra, which was first announced at Print 13. Currently in development, the company is in the midst of establishing launch teams and identifying customer leads.
User Contributions
CSA also announced that it has established the first CSA User Group Steering Committee. The steering committee, which is comprised of ten CSA customers, has been assembled to determine the path forward. According to the company, the committee will begin meeting in April with the goal of a 2015 launch of the User Group and an inaugural event.
Additionally, the company announces a second advisory council. The Digital Print Advisory Council (DPAC) will kick off in March with 13 senior executives representing financial services, book printing, direct mail, and commercial print. Members will meet annually to discuss current industry trends, market changes, and business conditions, providing valuable feedback to help CSA’s ongoing solutions and services development.
On the Horizon
2013 proved to be a busy year for CSA. After a successful integration, the company enters 2014 as one company with one vision. We look forward to the next few years, as Canon and CSA shake things up as products like Infinistream and Niagra evolve into fruition. Additionally, we expect further innovation to come from the new media lab, user group, and second advisory council. dps
Feb2014, DPS Magazine
