Tunca Rodoplu was recently appointed as Canon South Africa’s Country Director. He shares his thoughts on the state of the printing industry in South Africa, the benefits of inkjet printing, and viewing sustainability as a sales tool.
What are the biggest trends shaping the wide format and production/commercial printing industries?
On the commercial print side, high speed inkjet is a hot topic. Analogue printers are looking for new solutions since volumes are decreasing and the variety of jobs are increasing. Inkjet is the technology of the future. In terms of wide format printing, in Europe the interior décor and wallpaper industry is a key area where we see growth, but in South Africa, it is much less so.
Although there have been significant installations recently in South Africa, the adoption of inkjet technology is slower in South Africa than in Europe, and this may be mainly due to economic reasons. However, if South African printers are still thinking about whether digital or inkjet is the future, that question has already been answered, given the large number of installations globally. With this in mind, print service providers should look into how they can change their business model to adapt to the technology, sooner rather than later.
Inkjet is not a new technology anymore. Large players in South Africa are already using digital inkjet very successfully. Cut-sheet toner has been around for a long time. But there is a gap between the cut-sheet toner and analogue, and that space can only be filled by inkjet.
For analogue, most printers maintain their machines themselves, with limited support from the OEM. On the inkjet side, it is very different, because the maintenance is predominantly done by the OEM. This can significantly improve uptime and drive productivity.
Another important consideration about inkjet is its ability to reduce reliance on operators, or to reduce dependency on labour. That is one of the advantages that all printers should consider, because you need fewer people and you can run digital machines with less skilled operators. Most operations are also more automated, such as with colour management, for example.
Whenever I speak with commercial printers, their biggest problem is finding good operators, machine minders, etc. Digital technology eliminates most of that. The ability to operate without so many skilled workers is critical for the business. You can manage multiple machines with one operator, and that operator does not have to be a mechanical genius or a highly trained expert.
Where is the South African print industry in terms of AI adoption in print?
AI has not taken off in South Africa yet, but it can be anticipated that there will be more solutions coming in related to prepress work and automation, to name a few examples. There are some AI solutions increasingly coming into play on the maintenance and workflow side of things, like a machine ‘listening’ for signs that preventive maintenance is required.
Is sustainability prioritised enough by the South African printing industry, and what more do you think can be done?
Sustainability is not yet a high priority in many African markets, nor is it a firm business requirement, often due to limited regulatory pressure. Unlike in the European Union, there is relatively little legislation driving printers to adopt more sustainable practices.
However, sustainability should be viewed from two important perspectives. Firstly, it is a cost-saving opportunity, helping businesses reduce waste and improve efficiency. Secondly, it enables companies to act as responsible corporate citizens by protecting the environment and promoting the recycling of materials and components.
In Europe, sustainability has also become a powerful commercial lever. Many corporate customers now require suppliers to demonstrate clear sustainability credentials as part of their procurement criteria, making it a key differentiator in winning business.
A critical aspect of sustainability in print is the amount of waste generated during production. This represents a significant cost for commercial printers, yet it is often not properly measured or fully understood. When printers do analyse how much paper, ink, and other materials are being wasted, the financial impact is typically substantial.
In analogue printing, waste is inherently high. Extensive testing is required to achieve the correct colour output, resulting in considerable consumption of paper, ink, and plates even before production begins.
By contrast, digital technology significantly reduces waste. With minimal setup requirements and precise colour management, there is far less need for trial runs, meaning that very little material is wasted. You can almost get the finished product from the first print. As a result, digital printing not only enhances operational efficiency but also delivers meaningful cost savings and stronger environmental performance.
CANON SOUTH AFRICA
CZA-Marketing@canon.co.za
https://www.canon.co.za
