Konica Minolta launches division for outsourced print

28 January 2009

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd has launched an Information Management Services division to provide an outsourced print solution service for corporate and public sector customers for customers with print room facilities and large fleets of print devices.

Konica Minolta’s IMS division can manage all aspects of print provision for customers including managing the contracts of any legacy equipment as well as providing new state of the art bizhub multifunctionals and printers. The Managed Print Service (MPS) covers all consumable items, provisioning of equipment, engineering support and asset management of devices. IMS will offer various flexible cost models allowing the service to be tailored financially to suit.

The MPS service is viable for machine fleets of ten and upward. Where appropriate Konica Minolta IMS will provide on-site staff for instant support. Print rooms can also be fully staffed and managed.

To ascertain a customer’s needs Konica Minolta will first conduct a comprehensive print audit. This will be followed by an evaluation process resulting in an IMS proposal. Konica Minolta is marketing the service to corporate customers and public sector organisations. For the public sector Konica Minolta can offer IMS as part of the OGCbuying.solutions framework agreement.

For Konica Minolta, Christian Grauwiler, head of the new IMS division said, “Many customers are now aware of the huge cost savings which are achievable through efficient print management. However, effective management requires constant attention; this is where IMS can help the customer focus on his core business while we do what we do best, manage print. The print room is an area that also needs competent management resources to avoid bottlenecks and to control costs. All this is non-core activity for our customers. IMS provides them with an outsourced print service requiring no supervision and at a known and predictable cost. It is provided by one of the biggest suppliers of printers and multifunctional devices in the world with the resources to deliver efficient, reliable and economic print services.”

In a separate development, Minolta has opened a major international corporate centre in central London. Called iHub London – The Konica Minolta Digital Imaging Centre, This development provides Konica Minolta with conference facilities, demonstration showrooms, meeting rooms and offices in the heart of London’s West-End. The actual location is 55 Baker Street, once the Marks & Spencer headquarters building.

Mr Yuki Kobayashi, Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) said of the opening, “Our continued expansion and success means that we require a prestigious international business centre for our customers. The ihub London provides us with this important facility in the nation’s capital. London is one of the leading business centres in the world and a company of Konica Minolta’s stature requires an appropriate presence in the city. Our many customers, including our major corporate accounts, can see the cutting edge document processing technologies that Konica Minolta offers in an impressive setting. As the leading document imaging supplier, it’s right that we should have the best London centre.”

The opening of iHub coincided with the launch of an Outsourced print solution service. Christian Grauwiler, head of the new IMS division commented that the current economic situation, with the emphasis in both the public and private sectors on cutting costs, offered end users great opportunities for outsourcing print services.

“Many customers are now aware of the huge cost savings which are achievable through efficient print management. However, effective management requires constant attention; this is where IMS can help the customer focus on his core business while we do what we do best, manage print” IMS offers customers a print audit and the solution offered is not dependent on Konica Minolta hardware.