By: Karma Negi
Canon hopes that Laser MAHE segment will contribute a huge pie of the business in the next couple of years. In a chat with SME Channels Gautam Paul, Assistant Director of Consumer Systems Products (CSP) Group, Canon India, talks about their solutions for the SMB segment.
With our new dedicated Partnership programs for VARs and SIs namely CCR and OCR, we plan to target the B2B markets.
What are the latest trends in Laser and Inkjet printers?
The Laser printer category has been witnessing different consumer behaviour with companies looking at high volume printing. Laser printers are also getting utilized by Government and SMBs at large. Indian offices across various verticals are adopting Laser MFPs to improve their productivity, save cost, be more efficient and to simplify their printing infrastructure.
Customers have shown a gradual shift from single function printers to multifunction printers since they look for overall solutions from printers and not just the standalone printers. Canon India had recently launched the MF 200 series that is loaded with a host of productivity and convenience features, some of them made by Canon, especially for the Indian user. Ultra-Fast Rendering (UFR-LT2) for instance, optimises printer and desktop data processing; Indian Legal Duplexing helps print on customized media dimensions; On-Demand Fixing Technology regulates power consumption. All of these together, offer seamless printer performance.
From consumer perspective, customers are also getting more tech-savvy and their requirements have also changed as per the changing technology in market. With increased adoption of mobile phones by customers and their increasing online presence, demand for Cloud-printing and Wi-Fi printing has also seen a significant increase. At the same time affordability is also a key determinant for customers when they buy a printer. Customers with limited print requirements opt for affordable printers which allow high quality printing.
Home printing has also given more meaning to Inkjet printers. Due to lowered running cost, smart-device connectivity in printers and Wi-Fi printers are rising and people at home are looking for these options in their Inkjet printers. In keeping up with these trends, Canon launched their new affordable inkjet printers- PIXMA MG2570S and PIXMA iP2870S keeping in mind the needs of the home segment, who are looking out for high quality affordable print solutions.
How does these two score over one another?
In today’s changing consumer landscape, both Inkjet and Laser printer are offering compelling prepositions to different customer segments. Inkjet printers are primarily positioned for consumer requirements whereas Laser printers cater to SMEs, Government and SOHO segments. Laser printers are used for bulk printing and with new innovations and technology we are also witnessing colour laser printers being used by organizations.
Inkjet is majorly inclined towards home users and also for business applications where organizations require high quality photo printing, graphic printing and where there is more use of colour printing like advertising and graphic designing agencies.
In both Laser and Inkjet, Multi-Function Printers are emerging as leaders in terms of growth. A gradual shift in preference from Laser printers to Inkjet printers has also been witnessed owing to significant reduction in the per page printing cost.
As a leading printing vendor, how has been your growth in these markets in the past one year? Also, what are your growth projections for the next couple of years?
As per the latest IDC data, the market share of Canon is 19% in Laser printer market and 22% for inkjet printer market. (IDC Market Share). While the laser category has witnessed a decline, Canon has retained its share in the market. Canon holds a strong position amongst all the players in the Printer Market in India.
We are also looking forward to make new business, where Laser MAHE segment will contribute a huge pie of the business in the next couple of years. Laser MF200 series have gained momentum in the SMBs and corporate houses.
We are also witnessing a lot of interest among Indian consumers for our Canon PIXMA inkjet printers which offer innovative design and stunning resolution to match the lifestyle of today’s consumers. Earlier this year, we had also launched our new range of affordable inkjet printers- PIXMA MG2570S and PIXMA iP2870S keeping in mind the needs of the home segment, who are looking out for high quality affordable print solutions.
With our new dedicated Partnership programs for VARs and SIs namely Canon Corporate Reseller Program (CCR) and Office Cartridge Reseller Program (OCR), we plan to target the B2B markets.
Which market segments offer the best opportunities for growth? Which are the most attractive vertical markets or business sizes to target?
It has been observed that the inkjet printers have started gaining grounds in the commercial establishment, and Canon wants to see a significant pie of growth in that segment. We are also looking forward to make new business, where Laser MAHE segment will contribute a huge pie of the business in the next couple of years. SMBs and SOHOs are the target segments that we are targeting through our new launches like MAXIFY and MF 200 series.
What is Canon’s channel partner strategy?
Canon has been working very closely with channel partners and Value Added Resellers (VARs) in all major cities to bring its printers and related services to SOHO consumers. We also plan to reach out to Tier I & Tier II markets through sustained marketing campaign, easy upgrade offers and add-on solutions.
Canon has a new dedicated Partnership programs for VARs and SIs namely Canon Corporate Reseller Program (CCR) and Office Cartridge Reseller Program (OCR) to target the B2B markets. With their help, Canon will be focusing on cities namely Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.
