Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Europe) and Screen Graphic Solutions (Screen GA) have substantially elevated their cooperation in the digital commercial printing area to achieve seamless hybrid workflows and increase user-friendliness in both offset printing and digital printing. The two companies will further “improve efficiency, expand business opportunities and deliver new value in the commercial printing industry.” Konica Minolta has a competitive edge in variable digital presses, and aims to further open up the market in the digital commercial printing area. Screen GA offers an extensive line of high-speed variable digital presses and CTP systems, and has a competitive edge in integrated workflow systems (that combine CTP systems with digital presses to automate the printing process and eliminate the need for skilled operators). The two companies will enhance collaboration to further improve the value proposition for customers of the respective companies based on an open partner strategy by which each company further enhances its own competitive edge, while utilizing the other’s technologies and assets.
The companies added that, in the commercial printing industry, digital printing equipment is being increasingly introduced due to growing demand for high-mix, short-run printing to meet the diverse needs of consumers. In some cases, users can’t take full advantage of the equipment because the CTP workflow RIPs for offset printing (the core of workflow systems) can’t fully control the equipment. Konica Minolta and Screen GA have therefore enhanced data exchange in the Job Definition Format (JDF) between the Equios universal workflow systems offered by Screen, and the Accurio inkjet and toner digital presses offered by Konica Minolta. This enhanced data exchange enables users to directly perform digital printing from Equios, achieving seamless operation that encompasses colour management and finishing. “This solution increases commercial printing efficiency in a production environment and offers new business opportunities by taking full advantage of on-demand printing,” said the companies.
Konica Minolta and Screen enhance collaboration in digital commercial printing hybrid workflows
