Konica Minolta invited press, analysts and key customers/partners to an Industrial Print VIP Demo Event held at the company’s Client Engagement Center in Ramsey, New Jersey. Attendees were able to check out the impressive 18,500 square-foot state-of-the-art facility while learning more about some of the most impactful labeling, inkjet and embellishment offerings in the manufacturer’s portfolio.
The day’s program featured a series of demonstrations on the AccurioJet 30000, the AccurioLabel 230/400, the AccurioShine 3600 and the JETvarnish 3D Web 400. In addition, Konica Minolta’s Scott Tillchock and Aaron St. John provided granular information that spoke to return on investment time frames. Leading off the program with an executive overview was Frank Mallozzi, Konica Minolta’s president of Industrial Print and one of, if not the, most respected expert in the segment.
Mallozzi framed the May 5 VIP Demo Event presentation around the company’s long-term investment in digital industrial printing and the importance of helping commercial printers transition successfully from offset to digital workflows. He emphasized Konica Minolta’s strategy of leveraging platforms and adapting proven production-print technologies into adjacent markets such as labels, embellishment and short-run inkjet applications.
He highlighted the company’s scale and technical support capabilities, citing strong global adoption figures for its AccurioJet KM-1 inkjet, label and embellishment systems. He stressed that uptime, workflow integration, and service responsiveness are critical differentiators, particularly because many print providers are family-owned businesses making high-stakes investment decisions.
A recurring theme was that technology alone is insufficient without application expertise, color management, workflow optimization and ongoing support. Mallozzi also focused heavily on growth markets. He described embellishment as one of the fastest-growing opportunities, while emphasizing that identifying profitable new applications is essential for long-term success.
“The commercial printing industry comprises generationally owned businesses and small- to mid-sized companies,” Mallozzi added. “A lot of what we do has an impact on your business. It’s very rewarding when we see our technologies enable growth in your businesses. But we also are conscious about decisions that are being made, because a bad decision could impact your business substantially. The team of people we have here are passionate about serving this community.”
Looking Ahead
Keynote Speaker Marco Boer, the president of I.T. Strategies, presented the digital printing industry as a sector under pressure but also entering what he calls a “golden age of digital printing.” His analysis centered on how tariffs, inflation, rising paper costs, labor shortages, and geopolitical instability are reshaping commercial printing into a more automated, data-driven, and value-oriented business. Rather than competing on commodity volume, Boer argues printers must shift toward “luxury” products defined by relevance, customization, speed and enhanced presentation.
A recurring theme noted survival depends on workflow automation and continuous reinvestment. Boer stressed that digital equipment alone is no longer enough; profitability increasingly comes from workflow software, finishing systems, embellishment and operational intelligence. He warns that traditional offset operations are struggling to adapt to smaller, more frequent orders, while digitally focused companies are growing through efficiency and strategic investment.
The presentation also highlights emerging opportunities in direct mail, digitally printed books, folding cartons, embellishment and label printing tied to QR-code adoption and product serialization. Boer ultimately framed the industry’s transformation as inevitable but optimistic for companies willing to adapt technologically and operationally.
“We’re moving to a world from a commodity product to a luxury product,” Boer noted. “The luxury aspect should be in the back of your mind every single day, because you’ve got to sell things people are willing to pay for. Those of you who adapt, change and continue to invest, you’re going to be fine.”
IRL Examples
Boer also led a customer panel that featured a pair of commercial printers: Natalie Neyenesch of Neyenesch Printers and Greg Fox Jr. of Fox Press. Neyenesch said she opted for the AccurioJet 30000 digital UV inkjet press to replace two older toner-based devices after conferring with a number of printer colleagues and was blown away by the level of productivity it offered. The upshot is Neyenesch has been able to move some of the shorter runs off the sheetfed offset devices and onto the AccurioJet 30000.
The breadth of applications is one of the calling cards of the AccurioJet 30000. From general commercial to package printing (including folding cartons), the device is capable of producing books, brochures and magazines; greeting/business/ID cards; direct mail (inserts, coupons); and posters, banners and signage. It can also deliver fine art, photography, photo books and merchandise. What really enables it to shine is the ability to print on myriad substrates—heavy textured, canvas, metallic, translucent and sensitive bible paper, among others.
Neyenesch also noted the acquisition of the AccurioShine 3600 for 2D and 3D UV coating gloss effects has been a huge boost on several fronts. For one, it enables her company to offer print embellishment jobs that were previously farmed out, saving on customer turn times while ensuring quality of work. She pointed out that spot gloss on postcards, business cards and book covers are among the more common applications.
There is a bit of a gap to bridge, as younger sales reps tend to be more comfortable scouting out embellishment opportunities. “The younger reps are all about it,” Neyenesch said. “Older reps are having some difficulties with it, but we’re happy to see that they’re actually going after it, trying to push that on our customers.”
Near Capacity
While Fox Press had been producing labels previously, the AccurioLabel 400 narrow web digital color label press has expanded the possibilities. The 400 can reach speeds of 130 feet per minute (fpm) for CMYK printing and 65 fpm for printing CMYK+W. The fifth color station with white toner expands the range of print applications. Job lengths can max out at 3,000 linear meters for higher run lengths.
Although Fox noted there was a somewhat significant learning curve in the beginning, the Hammond, Louisiana-based printer—known primarily as a publication/commercial shop—has been able to essentially fill capacity after one year with AccurioLabel 400 and is now contemplating adding a second shift. Looking ahead at future growth, Fox notes that run lengths and page counts are down sharply for short-run publication jobs. While package printing is an option, there’s no lack of commercial shops that have cast their fortunes into that category.
There are obvious dangers associated with rushing into a crowded market. “I know packaging is brewing, but the label industry is growing big time, from what I can tell,” Fox added. “We’re running way more (jobs) on our digital machines than we are in our offset presses. It’s just the way it is. So I’ve made a big commitment to the label industry.”
