What was once ‘The Document Company’ is now plain Xerox (Fuji Xerox in APac). With the drupa tagline ‘Let the work flow’ documents hardly rated a mention at the company’s packed press conference, attended by all of the top executives including Chairman and CEO Ursula Burns.
The international media were assured that documents were still a core part of the company’s enterprise, as evinced by the recent ‘splitting’ of document services from the equipment and graphic communications side. All of the excitement and announcements surrounded Xerox’s move into new areas: - packaging in particular and inkjet rather than toner specifically. Since its acquisition of the French Impika and Asia-Pacific deal with Fujifilm, Xerox has accessed some of the world’s best inkjet technology, particularly ink.
After years of resisting inkjet, Xerox is now fully engaged with it and has offerings for commercial, DM and packaging applications. With sales languishing at around 4% below last year’s, inkjet is the shot in the arm that Xerox needs.The list of product launches and installations is extensive.
- Xerox Brenva HD Production Press – a sheet-fed inkjet based on an iGen chassis
- Xerox Trivor 2400 Continuous feed press
- Xerox High Fusion Ink – enabling print on coated offset stocks and other non-porous media.
- Clear toner for the iGen5 as a 5th station addition
- Xerox direct-to-object printer for items such as bottle caps, football helmets even shoes
- Simplified XMPie workflows
- Xerox Impika Evolution and Rialto900 inkjet presses with Fogra certification.
- The partnerships with KBA on the ‘powered by Xerox’ VarijJet 106 folding carton press (see ‘Hybrid drupa’ story)
Highly professional presentations by Ursula Burns, President of Xerox Technology Jeff Jacobsen and President of graphic communications Andrew Copely covered Xerox’s renewed strategies to address the flaccid toner A3 market and embrace the new inkjet opportunities for the future. Knowing Xerox’s vereve and drive, and strong experienced leadership; they will do this effectively and make up for time lost as they watched HP, Screen, Ricoh and Canon establish early market leadership with inkjet.
Xerox does have its work cut out but the initiatives are sound and the exhibit in Hall 8 is vibrant and alive with buzz – and plenty of eager customers.
Like the old song ‘ Let your love flow,’ these customers might be singing ‘Let your work flow’ as they contemplate the next round of investment in inkjet with Xerox.
Photos: Chairman and CEO Ursula Burns
President Xerox Technology Jeff Jacobsen
President graphic communications, Andrew Copely presents.