Supply allies show their hand

First public showing of alliance between Heidelberg, Konica Minolta and Kodak promises to remake the industry dynamics.

According to Andy Vels Jensen, managing director of Heidelberg ANZ, the display on show combines the latest technology from the three suppliers. “All of which allows you to marry up a combination of new technology enabling printers to fully service the ever changing needs of their customers,” he said.

Heidelberg technology on display at Printex is a Speedmaster SM52 press with Anicolor technology, the latest Suprasetter CTP device with Prinect Workflow, Polar cutters and Stahl folding machines.

Hiro Kaji, managing director of Konica Minolta Australia said that the partnership was developed in recognition that a single company cannot service an entire industry’s needs.

“No longer are Kodak, Heidelberg and Konica Minolta competitors, we are now partners,” he added.

Pictured: Three into one goes well at PrintEx says Andy Vels Jensen, Hiro Kaji and Adrian Fleming.

At PrintEx Konica Minolta unveiled the bizhub PRESS C70hc with unique high chroma technology, and showcasing the bizhub PRESS C6000, C7000 and C8000.

Adrian Fleming, managing director of Kodak Australia and New Zealand believes the PrintEx showcase enables visitors to experience the joint technologies working together to leverage the different expertise that each company brings to the partnership.

According to Fleming the unique partnership provides the industry with a customised workflow to suit all business requirements covering off everything from input to output.

“The underlying message of offset / digital / workflow working together is also evident and relevant in the market today,” he said.

During the media conference, the three managing directors did not dismiss the possibility of further integration in logistics and the back-end in the future.