Page 56 - Print21 March-April 2020

Supply side
Printing brands matter
Two years after spinning Océ out as a separate business in the region, Canon has brought the print technology manufacturer back line with the global brand. The consolidated Canon will again take its place as one of the largest providers of printing technology in the region. Dave Yosihda, managing director, Canon Australia, and Craig Nethercott, managing director, Océ Oceania, spoke to Patrick Howard about how it came about and what it means for the regional industry.
Brands are important to printers; the name on the press often defines the ethos of a company, its technology and
importantly, where its loyalties
lie. Printers invest a lot of their business identity in supporting the brands they’ve chosen, promoting the quality of their print output
as a distinguishing feature to
arose from an effort to create brand unity across all areas of the printing business. A process he describes as “a next step.”
“Within the Australian market, Océ is recognized as the print production arm of the overarching Canon Group. We are in a unique position with an enormous amount of brand equity and confidence in our product and service.
customers. This loyalty is vital real estate for suppliers ensuring long relationships, continuing investment and ideally a true partnership in developing a successful printing enterprise.
Which is why the decision by Canon to step up front and centre with its rebranding of Océ is vitally important to many printers. It's
a big step when dealing with two
of the best-known brands in the industry, but one that Dave Yoshida, managing director, Canon Australia, is convinced is in the best interests of all concerned. Two years since
the establishment of Océ Oceania, the realignment will see all the company’s print engines branded as Canon. It is part of an end-to-end delivery that Yoshida believes sends a strong message about Canon’s determination to remain as a major printing industry brand.
“This change signals a strong message globally about Canon’s long-term commitment to the production printing market. As many other businesses that grow and re- align as they develop, this is simply
a rebranding and alignment exercise for the current Océ products,”
he said.
The two managing directors emphasise that the two businesses will continue as autonomous entities. The official line is there is no question of Canon and Océ merging their operations. The companies will continue servicing their respective ends of the printing market, with customised printing hardware
and software.
56 Print21 MARCH/APRIL 2020
“This change signals a strong message globally about Canon’s long-term commitment to the production printing market.” — Dave Yoshida, managing director, Canon Australia
What appears to be certain is that the Océ brand will no longer function as a standalone entity.
In simple terms, Océ has always concentrated on the high-end production printing and commercial printing sector, while Canon, in addition to its wide-ranging camera and technology markets, has focused on small- to medium-enterprise printing with a large footprint in office, in-plant and the professional imaging sectors. There is some overlap between the two and now together the Canon brand covers the entire spectrum of printing with one of the most comprehensive arrays of technology in the industry.
According to Craig Nethercott, who will continue as managing director of the now Canon Production Printing business in Oceania, the global rebranding
“Whilst we continue to operate
as separate entities, adopting the Canon name brings together the innovation that Océ has established in unique printing technologies over more than 140 years, with the power of the Canon brand. The decision
to rebrand is mutual between Océ and Canon and will be implemented across all Océ’s operations,” he said.
It all works out
The rebranding is the latest iteration – and likely the final result – of a long acquisition by the Japanese company of the Netherlands-based press manufacturer that began
in 2010. The multi-million-dollar Canon/Océ takeover was one of the largest ever in the graphic
arts manufacturing industry. On completion in 2013, the process of integrating the two companies was supercharged, with the Australian operation being the first where the companies shared facilities.
Two years ago the decision was taken to spin Océ out as a separate operation with its headquarters in Melbourne, again a world first. This saw Nethercott arrive from the UK as managing director and begin the process of building the autonomous Océ brand as a distinct production- printer manufacturer. He says, “Since becoming part of the Canon Group in 2010, Océ established
itself throughout the industry as
the torchbearer of the commercial print segment of Canon's portfolio. So, we’ve started initiatives such as joint product development to expand