Konica Minolta and MGI Digital Technology (MGI) have expanded their cooperation with new initiatives to benefit customers in a single-source partnership approach. These will further accelerate common go-to-market activities within commercial and industrial digital printing markets.
The close strategic and financial cooperation between the two companies was first established in 2014 and expanded in 2016 with an increase of the stake in MGI to 40.5 percent. As a result, Konica Minolta added MGI products for production, label and packaging printing to its existing portfolio. In future, a new combined logo will be applied for all dedicated common marketing activities when Konica Minolta and MGI appear as partners. The two companies are also intensifying their links in Germany and Austria. Under an expanded cooperation, MGI systems will be sold directly through Konica Minolta's distribution network. Likewise, the market leader in production printing will support MGI customers as a single point of contact for all service, support, and administration topics. Customers will thus benefit from a dense network of Konica Minolta employees for on-site support and further development of the respective customer solution. Distribution and service for MGI systems was previously provided separately. With Konica Minolta taking over the sales and support responsibility, this gap is now being closed. While MGI related technologies and solutions are being marketed under the Konica Minolta brand, generally the brand identity and corporate design of both companies remain separate.
Digital embellishment is a key growth driver in the production printing market and at the same time a profitable way for print service providers, commercial and in-house printers to set themselves apart from the competition. UV spot coating in defined areas can be used to enhance four-color digital and offset prints with exceptional 3D haptics. In order to enable printers to enter the world of digital embellishment, Konica Minolta introduced the MGI JETVARNISH 3D One last year. The system uses a universal varnish for various 2D and 3D effects and is particularly suitable for embellishing print products in short and medium runs. MGI's entry-level model perfectly complements Konica Minolta’s production printing systems, such as the AccurioPress. In addition, the portfolio includes UV spot coating and digital hot foil stamping. This offers companies great opportunities to integrate into their own companies the added value at interesting conditions that was previously outsourced to embellishment companies. With systems up to A1+ size, the portfolio also offers finishing applications for other printing technologies such as offset printing. The systems' patented high precision is a unique selling point that reduces waste and production costs and maximizes productivity. Against this background, Konica Minolta, as a long-time market leader in production printing and one of the leading providers of inkjet, embellishment, and label printing, accompanies its customers with state-of-the-art technology, software, and the latest innovations in the fields of printing and applications with forward-looking know-how and a high level of consulting competence in the development of new business opportunities.
