Japanese printing major Komori Group will promote Connected Automation, aiming to help usher in digital transformations and create smart factories for the printing industry by applying its cloud solution, KP-Connect, it said in its 2021 plan.
Additionally, in May of last year, the post-press manufacturing and sales company, MBO Group, became a wholly-owned Komori subsidiary called MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH. The company’s lineup of post-press machines and products will now be sold as part of the Komori Group. MBO is also part of an industry grouping known as the Postpress Alliance. “Moving forward, we will open up new frontiers in Connected Automation by promoting coordination between various machines and Komori systems through the Postpress Alliance,” said the Komori statement.
Series production of the Impremia NS40 digital press
In the digital printing system business, the performance of the Impremia NS40 built in collaboration with Landa Digital has been increased, as demonstrated by field tests. The company said it aims to put the machines into actual operation and begin official sales and mass production this year.
In the security printing press business, despite movements toward cashless transactions in recent years, currency production continues to increase worldwide. The company has been steadily acquiring orders, particularly in Asia, including India. “We will continue to engage strongly with product development and manufacturing, as we promote Currency on Demand,” it said.
Komori Group released a new lineup of sheetfed offset presses for the offset printing press business – the Lithrone GX/G advance series. The advance series claims to focus on profitability for customers by combining high productivity with features that are said to improve investment returns.
The Komori Group said the crisis posed by Covid-19 has also brought with it opportunities in the printed electronics business. The company says it has seized on the increased demand for electronic parts and substrate-related products in this area. “We will continue to strengthen partnerships with universities, research institutes, and partners in the PE business and work to expand the business,” it said.
Multifaced approach to providing solutions
Covid-19 accelerated changes to society and industry are structured, with drastic changes in business environments for the printing industry. Since drupa 2021 was canceled as a physical event, the printing industry fundamentally had to reconsider its product promotion, which, until now, has relied heavily on such expos. “We believe it is important to earn trust and build deep partnerships with our customers through a multifaceted approach in proposing and supplying solutions that solve the issues they face,” Komori Group’s statement said.
The Komori Group will celebrate a significant milestone in 2023 with its 100th anniversary. To meet the next 100 years with further innovation and to create inspiring products and services that exceed expectations, it plans to pursue business expansion and a fuller range of solutions.
A green company
The Komori Group said it is committed to meeting the expectations placed upon it as an eco-friendly company. As part of these efforts, it has already established the company-wide Green-PJ project and actively worked to improve environments, inside and outside the company.
Moving forward, it will focus even more sharply on environmental activities and strive to increase diversity and reform working styles. To fully fulfill its duty of accountability to the public, as a listed company, and to increase transparency, it will also improve its environment, social, and governance (ESG) management.
