Business-Building Centre with Breakthrough Services for the Graphic and Printing Industry.
In a previous feature in Graphic Arts Magazine, Dr. Joe Webb, a 30-year veteran of the graphic arts industry, emphasized that “the companies or applications that would have been the ‘old guard’ seem to get into a lot of trouble. While they’re busy trying to protect themselves, the real entrepreneurs of an industry start to come out and thrive […] we don’t need to rekindle print; we need a good dose of entrepreneurship. For decades, people have been running print businesses claiming to be entrepreneurs, but currently I don’t see the dynamic, vibrant essence that an entrepreneurial market should have. Are these owners really entrepreneurs? Or were they just riding a wave all those years?”
Long before his prophetic statements, Printer Gateway and Konica Minolta were busy forming a groundbreaking strategic alliance that will result in a breakthrough business-building model for printers, taking the words “service” and “entrepreneurship” to an entirely new level of sophistication and efficiency.
The alliance will see Printer Gateway, one of Canada’s leading and most forward-thinking wholesale print providers with a multi-million-dollar workflow and infrastructure, team up with worldwide industry leader Konica Minolta, to open the first-ever state-of-the-art Live Digital Print Media Center at Printer Gateway’s Toronto (Long Branch) facility.
“Though the market knows who we are and our product offerings, many are still not aware of our flexibility in the innovative ways we can help printers build their businesses,” says Paul McCarthy, senior sales manager, graphics division, Konica Minolta. “Our new alliance with Printer Gateway, two years in the making, is an example of that flexibility.”
McCarthy emphasized that his mission is not just to sell, but to help the printing industry revive itself by assisting individual printers in their recovery – by reducing risk and increasing revenues with innovative service approaches and new business models.
“Make no mistake, Konica Minolta will be there with expertise and guidance before, during and after the sale. If we can help our clients grow their businesses, then my goal of helping printers get their maximum ROI will be realized,” says McCarthy. “I believe that many printers today realize that they can’t continue the ‘business as usual’ approach, and we are determined to lead the way in new endeavours to help them, as witnessed by our recent alliance with another industry leader, Printer Gateway,” he adds.
Using Konica Minolta digital technology and Printer Gateway expertise, the Multi Media Production Facility is really a total business-building centre with breakthrough services for print resellers never before seen in North America. It represents a totally new business/service model and its three primary objectives are to help the printing industry:
1. Retain customers
2. Boost business
3. Reduce costs
The alliance is Printer Gateway’s pre-emptive strike, recognizing that the industry must change and that these types of strategic partnerships are the way of the future – the dawn of a new era of printing through key alliances. Printer Gateway is no stranger to pinpointing future trends and reacting ahead of most in the industry. The company was one of the first to embrace Metal FX and the first “green” trade printer in North America. With the use of “gang run printing” and other strategies to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint – saving air, trees, electricity and thousands of dollars in the process. The company has also formed important creative alliances to help its more than 7,000 clients across North America.
“Today, too many printers purchase expensive equipment, then hope they can attract work to justify this investment,” says Printer Gateway President, Brian Armstrong. “We must change this mindset. Our alliance with Konica Minolta through our Live Print Media Center will help our resellers by easing them into short-run digital, mid-run production and high production offset – whatever their needs. Once they have the business to justify it, we can help them acquire the right kind of equipment. Our clients will gain the confidence, experience and also the education that will help them to achieve their goals of a larger, more profitable printing business – all with this totally new business-building approach that combines the strengths of Printer Gateway and Konica Minolta.”
Basically the showroom’s services, driven by Konica Minolta technology, are divided into three categories:
• Essentials of Colour
This service will help printers achieve proper colour management and, therefore, optimal colour control when submitting files. The technology allows for instant colour profiling, resulting in incredibly accurate hard-copy proofing and the ability to fingerprint the profiles of new machines to the showroom as part of a “Maximum Uptime” program.
• Short-run Digital and Mid-Run Offset
These include Web2Print plus a huge array of inline finishing capabilities. Clients won’t need to invest in those accessories, until they have the business to support it. These services are also ideal for overflow during peak periods.
• Free Consulting and Education Services
These will include everything from pricing analysis to workflow assessment to industry-specific promotion campaigns.
Combined (along with Printer Gateway’s three digital and three offset presses), these will allow print resellers to build their businesses gradually, at their own pace and without risky equipment investments. The services will also allow clients to maintain quality control, reduce downtime and reduce costs.
This breakthrough Printer Gateway/Konica Minolta Print Media Center represents one of the most flexible ways of growing a print reseller’s business. It is an industry first and a true breakthrough – and definitely a bold new business model that is destined to be the way of the future.
