On the occasion of the new year, I would like to wish everyone a happy new year and a healthy family!
In the past year, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone for their care and love! In the new year, I wish you all good health and smooth work!
In 2022, on the one hand, countries and regions around the world will further improve the prevention and control measures of the new crown epidemic, and on the other hand, they will actively resume economic production activities. However, due to the impact of the epidemic, the global supply chain has been in a state of tension, and there have been fast-tracking services mainly in Europe and the United States. Japan insists on implementing an ultra-loose monetary policy, which widens the interest rate difference between Japan and the United States, leading to a rapid depreciation of the yen. In general, 2022 will be a year of drastic changes around the world.
As far as the printing industry is concerned, represented by economically developed countries, the trend of DX (digital transformation) is becoming more and more obvious. The printing volume of publishing printing and commercial printing is gradually decreasing, while the demand for high value-added printing and packaging printing continues to increase. The printing industry is also facing some problems, such as shortage of raw material supply, rising material costs/logistics costs/labor costs, etc. It is necessary to take measures to increase production capacity to solve these problems.
During IGAS2022, the largest printing exhibition in Japan held in November last year, we took Connected Automation (Zhilian Automation) as the concept and advocated that users use data to connect all links of the production process into one, so as to realize visual management that improves production efficiency and reduces costs , launched solutions that help users increase profitability. As an offline exhibition that has not been seen for a long time since the epidemic , the Komori booth was crowded with people and the grand occasion was unprecedented.
In addition, during the exhibition, we held a Komori Club event where all members are Komori users through a mixed exhibition method combining online and offline; held a demonstration meeting at the Komori Printing Technology Center (KGC), released a video for Komori users in the Asian region hold online events, etc., and provide practical solutions for users in a rapidly changing social environment by continuously delivering the latest information to users.
In the field of offset printing presses, we have strengthened the product lineup of the Lithrone GX/G advance series, which has been highly praised at home and abroad, and improved the supply system to provide users with printing presses tailored to meet business needs. In view of the steady increase in the market size of the packaging industry, we are developing related models suitable for packaging printing. At the same time, we are also developing strategic printing machines that can meet the unique needs of the Asian market to prepare for future sales expansion.
In addition, as the core system of Connected Automation, "KP-Connect Pro" can play a significant role in the process of transforming a printing factory into a smart factory (Smart Factory). Currently, we are promoting KP-Connect Pro to overseas markets, and are committed to assisting Komori users around the world to further increase production capacity.
In the field of digital printing machine business, we carried out a joint project with the Tokyo Camera Department in September last year, using the new digital printing machine Impremia NS40 to print 100 million pixels of natural beauty shot at a high resolution of 300PPI. The audience who came to appreciate the works of the photography exhibition spoke highly of the printing effect, which made us really feel that digital printing machines may play an active role in the field of emerging artwork printing in the future.
In the securities printing machine business, the demand for banknote printing around the world continued to grow steadily, and we also restarted the tender and equipment installation work that was delayed due to the impact of the epidemic. Countries and regions around the world are promoting equipment replacement and new factory construction projects, and the related demand for preventive maintenance of equipment in order to realize 24-hour production of factories is also gradually expanding.
In the PE (touch line gravure printing machine) business field, the demand for packaging substrates is growing rapidly due to the acceleration of digital transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of high-capacity and high-speed communication technologies. Now that the realization of factory automation has become an inevitable trend, we are also committed to combining printing machines with pre-press and post-press equipment to build a fully automatic production line. Contribute to the future development of semiconductor-related industries by providing production equipment that meets the needs of the times.
This year, the Komori Group celebrates its 100th anniversary. We strive to become an "enterprise that impresses users" and shoulder the responsibility of "enterprises are public instruments of society (enterprises are part of society)". By providing a variety of products and solutions, we will continue to devote ourselves to serving users and society make due contributions to the development of
This year, please continue to give guidance and encouragement to our work.
Komori Corporation
General Manager Mochida