When Océ Australia officially launched its new direct-to-market operation on New Year’s Day, it was bringing the market in the Oceania region one step closer to a company whose product offerings reflect the passion, commitment and deep market understanding which is helping the 140 year old manufacturer define the print future.

 

Last year it was announced that Océ Australia, a Canon company, would take over the marketing, distribution and service for all Océ-branded wide format and production inkjet products in Australia and the surrounding region. 

 

On January 1 the transition took place and Australian print service providers (PSPs) are now getting their first chance to see how that change will impact on the market – and, so far, the response has been universally positive. 

 

Craig Nethercott, managing director of Océ for the Oceania region, says the change in the company’s go-to-market strategy allows the Australian team to engage more closely with customers and place a greater focus on the specialised professional print market – including, importantly, ensuring they have the chance to help shape what Océ calls Print Future through closer connection with its extensive R&D operation.

 

Imagining the future – 

Océ R&D for Print Future

 

No market of course stays still, a fact Océ acknowledges with its strap line, Print Future. The company, therefore, must not only have an eye on today’s market, but also a vision for tomorrow. 

 

Nethercott says, “R&D is at the heart of Océ technology, of course, but it is our customers who drive progress at every level with their ideas and feedback”, adding that Océ has 1350 separate R&D specialists forming an interconnected web of multi-disciplinary teams around the world, collaborating on myriad projects, and all feeding back to HQ in the Netherlands.

 

“Driving all our new technologies is the desire to make our customers more productive and profitable, and to do that, we must not just solve today’s problems, but imagine the future and invent for markets which do not yet exist,” he points out. 

 

“It is an enormous challenge, but Océ has a sound track record in market foresight, largely due to our collaborative partnerships with our customers, which allows us to understand, step-by-step, how the printer is able to benefit from any new technology.”

 

In recent years Océ has focused on two new technology platforms, Piezo Latex – the technology behind the Océ VarioPrint i300 – and UVgel, on which the company’s latest flagship release, the Océ Colorado 1640, is based. 

 

Unsurprisingly, this strong focus on customer driven progress has resulted in a suite of award-winning technologies, particularly in the decade since the manufacturer became part of the worldwide Canon group, with access to a resource base which helped bring several new technologies, now proven performers, to the market. 

 

These include the ColorStream/ProStream continuous feed inkjet series, the ColorWave series high-speed wide-format family, the VarioPrint i300/i200 series sheet-fed inkjet systems, the Arizona 6100 flatbed series and the Colorado 1640 64” roll-to-roll printer, the first to feature the newly developed Océ UVgel technology, launched in 2017.

 

Proven performers – 

Océ Arizona

 

In Australia, there is probably no better example of this perfect response to market demand than the Océ Arizona range, which has given thousands of business owners worldwide the versatility to expand their business and exploit valuable new opportunities.

 

Featuring the stability of flatbed architecture with roll-to-roll capability on most models, and options like single or double white ink, Océ says Arizona offers unrivalled versatility, coupled with exceptional print quality, thanks to Océ VariaDot imaging technology.

 

With more than 30 international awards under its belt, the quality and innovation of the Arizona range is without question – but it is its performance in practice which has led to a seriously impressive installation base not just here in Australia, but around the world, Nethercott says.

 

“The technology behind the Océ Arizona range means that, with one printer, you can print on almost any rigid or flexible substrate, and do so to the highest quality standards, quickly and profitably,” he explains.

 

The company points to the versatility, quality and size of the Arizona range (it can print materials up to 50.8mm thick and 1.25 x 2.5m in size) as making it ideal for everything from standard sign and display jobs like POP, retail signage and backlit signs, through to specialist applications as diverse as packaging prototypes, to membrane switch overlays, relief printing and decorator products. 

 

Nethercott says, “This makes the Océ Arizona an ideal option for businesses which are serious about increasing the revenue – and profits – from their display graphics, because it not only allows them to produce existing work more profitably, but to confidently take on increased volumes and capitalise on new markets like bespoke interiors and limited-edition packaging, to create valuable new revenue streams.” 

 

Direct representation

lifts commitment

 

Even the best technology, however, is only making money when it is running, so technical support and service is vital. 

 

Canon had already established an enviable reputation for this throughout Australia, and Nethercott says the Océ direct-to-market strategy will only improve

an already strong position.

 

“We understand that the quality of service and support is vital and we are committed to investing in our own team, rather than contract staff, to ensure we can always prioritise the needs of our clients and meet their requirements swiftly and effectively,” he says. 

 

“We are fortunate in Australia to have an excellent team of factory-trained technicians, many of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years, who are specialists in Océ equipment, so whether it is over the phone, or on a maintenance or service call, our customers can rely on us to provide the expertise and experience which will keep them running productively and profitably.”

Going direct-to-market, he says, will make the entire company more responsive and agile and provide a much more direct channel back to the Océ international operations and, in particular, its extensive R&D operations – bringing our conversation back to where it began.

 

“It has become something of a cliché, but at Océ we really do believe in a partnership approach,” he says. “Whether it is our colleagues in the Netherlands and around the world, or our clients across Australia and the wider Oceania region, our aim is to consult and collaborate, to make sure there is as seamless a link as possible between what the market needs, and what Océ delivers.

 

“Australia is a strategically important market for us, not only because of its reputation for early adoption of new technologies, but because the PSPs here are innovators, who constantly push our technologies to the limit and so, provide invaluable feedback and ideas to help us shape the future.”

With Océ Australia officially a month old as this issue goes to press, Nethercott says he hopes and believes the market is already noticing – and responding positively – to the change. “I have spoken before about the positive qualities which characterise the Océ organisation around the world, and I can say that this is definitely reflected in our team here,” he says. “Over the past few months, I have met our people around the country and I’ve been genuinely impressed with their passion and energy, and with the deep industry experience they can offer. With a great base already in place through our parent company Canon, we’ve really hit the ground running, and I am looking forward to bringing a new level of commitment, engagement and excitement to the market, and to giving our clients the full benefits of a closer connection with Océ.”