• Stand: A26, Hall 9
• Venue: Düsseldorf Fairgrounds, Germany
• Dates: 29 May - 11 June 2008

Milton Keynes UK, 19 February 2008

Konica Minolta will be showing a comprehensive range of digital production print systems and software solutions at Drupa, the print industry exhibition. At this year's exhibition Konica Minolta is quadrupling its presence with a 1,000 square metre stand. The theme of the stand will be 'Scale Up' emphasising that Konica Minolta is taking digital print production to the next level of development with integrated solutions.

Visitors can see Konica Minolta digital print systems demonstrated with the Printgroove suite of new workflow solutions to manage the print process from origination through to fulfilment, management and billing. This will include the crucial and expanding need for web-to-print output. The importance of this area is underlined by the results of a recent InfoTrends survey from September 2007. According to estimates given by print service providers, web-to-print volumes are set to increase by a staggering 264 per cent by 2010.

Developed by Konica Minolta's in-house team, the four-module Printgroove suite provides standardised, user-friendly mapping of the entire workflow. It covers the whole printing process from job submission and shipping to invoice generation, and provides a seamless link between the various print systems. POD Queue, the first Printgroove module, manages incoming print jobs and allocates them to the available printing system. At the same time, it monitors a system's status in terms of finishing equipment and supplies. It also allows potential bottlenecks to be identified and neutralised at an early stage. The second module is POD Serve, an online storefront available at any time of day, while POD Guide is used to manage and monitor the entire system. The fourth and latest module, Printgroove POD Ready, is the easy-to-use make-ready-solution: Apart from editing of chapters, pages and individual documents it also integrates impositioning. POD Ready also allows using pre-press programs that are already available.

"At this year's Drupa, we have set ourselves a key objective of strengthening the position of Konica Minolta as a professional partner to the graphic design industry and major print service providers", says Heike Börsch, head of Production Printing at Konica Minolta Business Solutions. "Printing systems form just one of the keys to success. Making workflows efficient is equally important. The excellence of our Printgroove solution has even been rewarded with a BERTL's BEST Award for Innovation. The Printgroove POD Suite with its quartet of modules is highly integrated with Konica Minolta hardware, which means we can offer customers optimal protection on their investment."

Ends.

 
About Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd markets business machines manufactured by Konica Minolta Business Technologies Inc, in the United Kingdom through a direct sales force and a network of independent dealerships. Konica Minolta digital imaging systems are manufactured in Japan and China. All are ISO9002 accredited for quality procedures. 
 
UK turnover for Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd is in excess of £120 million, placing the company fifth in the digital copier market with a 8.6 per cent share of the black and white market and a market leading 34.9 per cent share of the colour market (not including colour capable systems) according to Infosource.

With a total workforce of 19,800 employees world wide, Konica Minolta Business Technologies generated net sales of over £3.15 billion in fiscal 2005/2006. Globally Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. has a turnover £6.1 billion. Building on its strong core of optical technologies developed over many years, Konica Minolta Business Technologies aims to be a corporation offering products and services that are essential to all areas of digital imaging.

For further information contact:    
John Howard
Head of Marketing
Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd  
Tel: 01908 200400
Fax: 08701 321751
E-mail: John.Howardkonicaminolta.co.uk
Web: www.konicaminolta.co.uk

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Glyn Pritchard
Vox Communications
Tel: 01892 825043
Fax: 0870 162 3983
E-mail: glyn.pritchardvoxcomm.co.uk