Konica Minolta withdraws from drupa 2021
Print Solutions
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe has announced its decision to withdraw from its participation at drupa 2021 to follow the path of new, tailored formats of engaging with its customer base.
The company has already taken the path of new, tailored and digital or hybrid formats of engagement with its target groups and will pursue these new rules of engagement further.
Olaf Lorenz, general manager International Marketing Division Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, said: ‘We very much still believe in the power of personal relationships and of course the power of seeing our portfolio and touching the print products from our presses and are evaluating the potential combinations of virtual and real mlife concepts. However, exhibiting at drupa or any other trade fair at the moment makes no sense to us during the current world uncertainty. Things are too unpredictable. Our highest priority is always to make sure that our colleagues, customers and all their families stay safe and healthy. And while the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt on a global basis, we have taken a decision to withdraw our physical presence from drupa, as well as other shows for the foreseeable future.’
With drupa postponed in June, the company’s rules had to adapt and it had to rethink what is possible for its customers and prospects. For example, Konica Minolta has launched a virtual showroom that holds many features for an interactive exploration of its manifold product offers in printing. In the Konica Minolta Inkjet Center of Competence in Bratislava the company offers virtual live demonstrations where people can experience products with a two way camera set up and interact with the experts.
Additionally, it is reviewing opportunities for bespoke local events that leverage the best of two worlds: having customers being able to come and see the new solutions and possibilities that Konica Minolta has in stock for them while being safely embedded in their own country without travel restrictions.
Olaf concluded, ‘Our utmost goal has been and always will be to help shape ideas for our customers in a partnership approach – no matter the ‘communication channel’, whether face to face or virtually. We are fully convinced that print will endure as a communications medium even with the perceived threats from digital, mobile and virtual channels, which many people thought had signalled the death knell for our medium. In fact, despite the pandemic and less predictable environment in which we all now live, print is thriving and finding new ways to deliver impact and value, often alongside those other media channels. We will keep exploring these new ways of delivering value together with and for our customers and are excited to what lies ahead of us.’
And he added, ‘It is with a somewhat heavy heart and regret that we have made this decision and wish the organisers success with all future shows. drupa has always represented some of the best of what can be achieved at a face to face event for the global printing industry. For me, personally, it would have been my fifth drupa. It has always been a highlight of the calendar and I look forward to returning to future events when the time is ripe.’
