Print News | Packaging News | Wide Format news | Print | i-grafix | Australia, New Zealand and Asia Print and Packaging news from Australia, New Zealand and AsiaOki is set to take a fresh approach to the Australian market, with production print an intended target of expansion alongside other verticals.
Dennie Kawahara, managing director of Oki Data Australia, says the company is transitioning into a solutions provider rather than a box-seller, providing customisable software solutions for its machines set to improve workflow and functionality.
While most of its energies are being directed towards gaining a better share of the photocopying and multifunction device market, and establishing new business in printing for medical imaging, production print is by no means off the agenda.
Oki Data Australia reaches out, l-r: Antonio Leone, marketing manager, with Dennie Kawahara, managing director, and Gregory Mikaelian, national sales manager
Kawahara says, “You have to grow fast, but at a level that you can support. We do not want to be too pushy about it.
“We are ready to evolve into a solutions provider for customers, introducing new products and hiring a new solutions specialist to support our dealer partners.”
The company launched its flagship commercial digital print device, the C941, this year, with the ability to print CMYK as well as a fifth option of either a white or gloss. It uses LED technology to print on a range of media at speeds of up to 50ppm.
Kawahara says the additional white or gloss option makes the C941 a standout at its price point, and suits creative businesses and reprographics studios as well as commercial businesses looking to value-add in short run digital print.
He says, “Production print is a new area for us – about three years ago we started with our first affordable white toner-based printer. That was a trial, to see how the market would react.
“After the successful launch of that machine, we introduced our C941 printer. Its clear or white capability, alongside CMYK, is available in a $500,000, $1m or $2m machine, but never before in a machine priced at less than $20,000.
“Previously printers would have to rely on outsourcing or expensive machines for this kind of short run, value-add work. Now with this Oki product they can do it inhouse.”
Oki’s C941 digital colour printer, offering CMYK plus white or gloss
The C941 can produce banners, point-of-sale, leaflets, promotional merchandise, vinyl graphics, stationery or brochures, with paper handling from A6 to SRA3 and banner lengths up to 1.3m.
It prints on paper stock up to 360gsm single sided and 320gsm duplex, on substrates including gloss paper, film, transfer paper and waterproof paper.
Kawahara says all of Oki’s printing machines come with a three year warranty, and it offers managed print services for its customers, who are mostly SMEs, though larger corporations are a long term target.
He says Oki will also introduce a new digital colour label printer with finishing system, the C711DW, designed for short run commercial printing, at Labelexpo Americas in September this year.
The C711DW prints labels at up to 7.6m per minute, or full-colour cut sheets at up to 34 pages per minute.
Another colour label printer, slated for 2015 release, will be unveiled at the show.
Oki Data Australia will see its fifth year of operations in 2014 as a subsidiary of Japanese parent Oki Data, which has its roots in Oki Electric Industry Co, established in 1881 as the first telephone maker in Japan.
Kawahara says the company does not deal direct but always through its resellers and distributors, with more than 200 channel partners providing sales and support capabilities in Australia, and some 100 resellers across the country.
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