Celebrating and promoting innovation on International Print Day

Celebrating and promoting innovation on International Print Day
The 25^th of October is International Print Day 2023, an event which celebrates and promotes the power of print and provides education and information on its applications and opportunities. For 2023 the theme is ‘Print Connects’ (#PrintConnects) – which is something which Konica Minolta passionately supports, the idea that not only is the print industry closely connected (with manufacturers, channel partners, customers, and end users all being in symbiotic relationship with one another), but also that print still has the power to amaze, excite, and inspire through its personal and tactile nature.

International Print Day 2023 has even greater significance for Konica Minolta as we celebrate 150 years of technology innovation and evolution. Our company has come a long way since Rokusaburo Sugiura began selling photographic and lithographic materials at Konishiya Rokubeiten in Kojimachi, Tokyo, back in 1873, marking the beginnings of the Konica Corporation. Print has been a staple part of our offering for a considerable part of our history - we transformed offices with the launch of the now ubiquitous plain paper copier to market in 1973. At the start of the 1990’s Konica entered the laser printer market and at the turn of the millennium, the Konica Corporation joined forces with Minolta Co., Ltd, two world renowned brands coming together to become what is today - Konica Minolta. We have led the way in the digital print revolution which is transforming how print is delivered and evolves, simplifying processes and delivering spectacular print results for even the most niche of jobs or applications.

On a more local level, Konica Minolta is also celebrating 50 years of operations in the UK, having been first incorporated on 6^th September 1973, and has been a key part of the print industry here for half a century. As well as supplying industry leading products and innovative print solutions for over 50 years, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd is closely aligned to the professional printers that are the lifeblood of the UK print industry, along with our expert value-add channel partners that deliver the support that enables them to continue operating and delivering essential print products.

This close relationship with our print customer and partners is the perfect illustration of ‘Print Connects’ – be it through professional print, industrial and label printing, or providing Managed Print and Cloud Print solutions along with the latest workflow solutions (which are vital in today’s vibrant hybrid working environment). Konica Minolta is just as intrinsically linked to these diverse print applications as the people and businesses that rely on them.
Despite competing mediums such as digital, print continues to be a vital part of our society. The latest figures from the BPIF show that the UK print industry contributes a turnover of £13.7 Billion, with a gross added value of £6.6 Billion and employs around 98,000 people across 7,200 companies. The figures also show that the UK is the fifth largest producer of printed products in the world, and second largest in Europe. Printed matter also contributed £358 million to the UK’s balance of trade in 2022.

Of course the nature of print has evolved too, with less emphasis on printing data documents (where digital workflow solutions and the scanning of documents has become so popular) and a greater emphasis on products that print is essential for - such as printed packaging (cartons, labels, sacks and bags), printed goods (such as printing onto textiles, plastic, glass, metal, wood & ceramics) and professional products such as advertising literature and business stationery, along with books, magazines and newspapers - all of which have a unique appeal and purpose. Quality embellishments add an additional level of quality and highly tactile appeal which significantly enhance other products (from greetings cards to toiletries, food and drink gifts, luxury consumer goods packaging and many more).
Far from being a dying technology, print is a crucial element in society and despite the challenges felt across every sector now from inflation and economic pressures, it continues to be an exciting and profitable sector to be part of. Konica Minolta continues to champion the potential of print – we have a long-term campaign entitled ‘See the potential’ which aims to support and inspire print businesses to understand the changing needs of customers, to create more added value, and help them rethink opportunities in a fast-changing world. This is being powered by Digital Transformation, which is not only transforming the print technology and products but also the ways in which we all work, making processes more streamlined and enabling even the smallest print business to increase productivity and work smarter to stay competitive.

International Print Day is the perfect opportunity for everyone in the print industry to reflect upon our strengths and to ensure we stay firmly in the focus of our customers, enabling us all to continue delivering this unique and powerful communication medium.