Canon is announcing major thrust in the Production & Arts Graphic Arts Industry with the launch of imagePRESS C7000VP digital press, a landmark in technological innovation at the world-class trade exhibition IPEX'07 South Asia taking place in Greater Noida. Canon is also investing heavily in setting up the best in class demo centers and training manpower to focus on the value additions they provide for their customers. With enormous growth being witnessed in the digital printing industry, Canon is geared up to take a strong position in this segment by 2010.The market size of Digital Color Press segment of digital printing industry is 250 crores (growing at the rate of 25 %) and Canon India plans to achieve Rs 35 crores in 2008.

India being one of the most promising economies the print industry is all set to blossom here and leveraging on this opportunity Canon plans to be instrumental in taking India to new heights of digital printing.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Som Gangopadhyay, Director Business Imaging Solutions, Canon India said “Canon is always looking at leading the market with technology innovations by enhancing value for its customers in India . With this solution we are bringing the latest cutting edge technology for our customers. The Indian printing industry is pegged at approximately Rs 65000 crore. With all industries moving towards specialization to carve a niche, our strategy is to offer customized solutions and applications that cater to vertical segments like telecom, banking, retail, pharma etc. With the growth in the digital printing industry marked at 25%which is twice the rate of growth of the GDP, India is a flourishing market for digital printing.”

The imagePRESS C7000VP is designed and targeted mainly to re-capture the production-printing domain, which is currently the highest growing printing business at 22% globally. Within the production-printing domain, imagePRESS C7000VP caters to the commercial printers, central reprographics department and print shops.

Being a leader in both digital production monochrome and digital production color, Canon is consistently working towards bringing the best technology to digital printing industry with its market leading products. The rapidly evolving world of digitalized textiles is a reflection of several unique and contrasting business models that create challenges, treats and opportunities to the future of the textile printing market. One of the important issues associated with digital printing on textiles is speed & reliability as this has commercial implication for the industry.

Commenting on this occasion Puneet Datta, Senior Manager- Marketing Business Imaging Solutions, Canon India said, “The form and function convergence offered by Canon is bound to bring about a revolution in the digital printing industry. BIS (Business Imaging Solution) division of Canon extensively expanded their sales, services and specialists team in 2006 – 07. Canon India is adding 30 more people in production and graphic arts division. Also we are inaugurating state of the art solution showrooms in Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore with the capital investment of 3 crores. An additional 5 crores are being budgeted for marketing activities.”

According to an analyst, India has the fastest-growing print industry after China ; the print market in India is projected to reach Rs 69,315 crore by 2008, a growth of 47.5 percent from 2003. Digital printing is the next step, and something that will complement offset printing rather than replace it. Digital printing is cost-effective, and opens up new avenues with features such as variable data printing which allows you to make large volumes of prints with significant differences in each printed item.