GSA  appointments 
Graphic Systems Australasia (GSA) was pleased to welcome Shigetaka Komori, Fuji Photo Film president, who was recently in the country meeting with representatives and customers of GSA, the local Fujifilm graphic arts supply agents. Komori’s visit to Australia followed the completion of a highly successful drupa exhibition for Fujifilm during which it sold approximately 165 units of equipment. These figures include 35 units of the Luxel V-6, the new B2-size CTP system that made its debut at the show, as well as 43 units of the Luxel V(x)-9600 CTP systems. There was also strong interest in the new thermal Luxel T-9800 external drum platesetter with a total of 10 thermal CTP systems sold. GSA shared in the success with orders for CTP units, scanning equipment, workflow systems and proofing devices.

While in Australia, Komori launched a new wholly-owned subsidiary for the region, Fujifilm Australia and New Zealand. The launch of the new subsidiary follows the earlier acquisition of Hanimex Australasia, the previous agents responsible for the distribution of all Fujifilm products in the region with the exception of printing-related products.

"We are in a totally new global phase that I call Digital Impact," he said. "There will be a reported 4.8 million digital capture devices sold in Australia this year alone, including some 1.6 million digital still cameras and some 3.2 million camera phones," Komori says.

"For Fujifilm, there is now greater opportunity than we have ever seen before, driven by this explosion of the digital consumer market."

The new management team for Fujifilm Australia and New Zealand comprises Matt Ushida as CEO, Australian managing director Dave Marshall, and John Laidlaw, managing director for the New Zealand operations.