Konica Minolta recognised for its customers, with a strong portfolio to support them in growing their digital maturity

In the IDC MarketScape: ‘Worldwide Print Transformation 2020 Vendor Assessment’ (doc #US45354420, August 2020), Konica Minolta was named a ‘Leader’. The company has pursued an approach to significantly grow its product portfolio and capabilities in IT services. The IDC MarketScape states that “Konica Minolta has successfully executed this plan in targeted areas such as managed IT services, security, voice over IP (VoIP), enterprise content management, business process outsourcing, and vertical specific ERP and CRM solutions”. The report notes that “…customers seeking more than just a refresh of their printer/MFP portfolio and more of a vision of the workplace’s evolution into the future may want to consider Konica Minolta.”

“This assessment acknowledges: We are a Leader in Print Transformation,” Olaf Lorenz, Senior General Manager, Digital Transformation Division at Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, states proudly. Referencing current events that led to a surge in digital work, he explains the potential for its customers: “As a result of the pandemic, we have all been part of the world’s biggest home-office project. Over night, companies around the globe needed to ensure that work gets done and business continues. At the same time, they had to ensure the protection of their employees’ health – this surely has made digital transformation a prime concern.” He continues: “The ‘new normal’ of hybrid offices will accelerate the need for a more connected and intelligent digital workplace – one that enables remote access to business critical workflows and data at all times. Our mission is to help our customers reach the next level in the digital maturity of their organisation. We help them to efficiently drive and control this transformation process by simplifying and leveraging IT on their terms, based on their specific needs. We provide the tools and knowledge to achieve this.”

Konica Minolta’s respective portfolio is also recognised by the IDC MarketScape in its report: “Thus Konica Minolta’s product evolution involves a continuum of products and services including hardware, managed services, and business process automation integrated into an Intelligent Connected Workplace.”

IDC MarketScape assessed that “Konica Minolta believes that technology needs to be human centred, so understanding the motivations, wants, and needs of the worker is essential. The company will focus on the ‘why’ when implementing new technology and not just the ‘how’.”

One main reason for the classification as a leader is Konica Minolta becoming a partner for holistic printing and office IT solutions. The report highlights a specific product example of Konica Minolta’s digital solutions: “Konica Minolta’s MarketPlace platform represents a key element in the company’s Intelligent Connected Workplace vision. The Konica Minolta MarketPlace platform makes it easy for customers to access the tools they need to connect their MFPs to various industry-related, security, and cloud service apps.” Konica Minolta’s bizhub i-Series devices are increasingly becoming the centrepiece of the ‘Intelligent Connected Workplace’ of its customers.

Amongst its IT solutions, Konica Minolta is also providing its small and medium-sized business customers with a literal ‘hub’ for their IT: Workplace Hub. Available in different versions, it brings together best-in-class hardware with compatible software and managed services, unburdening and empowering their IT. Konica Minolta’s leadership role in driving the digitalisation makes it an attractive partner both for customers as well as investors: Within the framework of their DX Stock 2020 programme, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) organised the Competitive IT Strategy Company Stock Selection. It highlights companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that are particularly attractive for investors that prioritise improving corporate value over the medium to long term. Konica Minolta is one of these companies. The company has been highly rated with regard to the potential of its new business model, including digital transformation support services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under its Intelligent Connected Workplace.

About IDC MarketScape:

IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilises a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

About Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe

Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH, based in Langenhagen, Germany, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta Inc., Tokyo, Japan. Konica Minolta enables its clients to champion the digital era: with its unique imaging expertise and data processing capabilities, Konica Minolta creates relevant solutions for its customers and solves issues faced by society. As a provider of comprehensive IT services, Konica Minolta delivers consultancy and services to optimise business processes with workflow automation. The company further offers its customers solutions and managed services in the field of IT infrastructure and IT security as well as cloud environments. With regard to its office printing solutions, ‘IDC MarketScape: Western Europe Smart Multifunctional Peripheral 2018 Vendor Assessment’ stated that Konica Minolta is ‘recognised globally as a leading smart MFP provider of note’. As a strong partner for the professional printing market, Konica Minolta offers business consulting, state-of-the-art technology and software and has established itself as the production printing market leader for more than a decade in Europe (InfoSource). In the healthcare sector, Konica Minolta drives digitalisation of clinical workflows and offers a broad range of next-level diagnostic solutions. Its Business Innovation Centre in London and four R & D laboratories in Europe enable Konica Minolta to bring innovation forward by collaborating with its customers as well as academic, industrial and entrepreneurial partners. For its solutions that combine ‘smart service with smart technology’, Konica Minolta was awarded the prestigious ‘Buyers Lab PaceSetter Award for Outstanding Serviceability 2018/2019’ from Keypoint Intelligence. Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe is represented by subsidiaries and distributors in more than 80 countries in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. With approximately 10,000 employees (as of April 2020), Konica Minolta Europe earned net sales of over 2.34 billion in financial year 2019/2020.

For more information, please visit http://newsroom.konicaminolta.eu/ and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @KonicaMinoltaEU.

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