From its start, this trade fair felt different. When President & CEO CJ Cannata and I ventured to Orlando in October, we were pleasantly surprised upon first entering the show floor at PRINTING United Expo 2025. Our channel production printing OEMs were all there, within plain view: Front and center was the Konica Minolta exhibit and, nearby, was Sharp’s expansive booth. “There’s Xerox,” CJ observed, surprised at the proximity. I then pointed to Kyocera before noticing Ricoh conveniently “right over there.” Not far away were the Fujifilm and HP stands.
The strategic layout within Florida’s Orange County Convention Center made the exposition floor easy to navigate. Foot traffic was heavy (see below), and exhibiting companies reported highly qualified leads coming from the show. The presence of title sponsor Canon USA was impossible to miss as the hub exhibitor. Under the theme of “Diverse Printing Solutions,” the OEM’s booth was expansive, spanning 9,600 square feet. Citing new products, including the varioPRINT iX1700 cutsheet inkjet press, Marketing Director Bob Barbera shared Canon’s goal of helping dealers to grow their businesses. Launching in early 2026 and featuring one of the industry’s largest color gamuts, the varioPRINT iX1700 runs at a maximum rated speed of 170 A4 images per minute (ipm) or 73 B3 ipm. The OEM is touting the new press as a highly sustainable, “zero emissions” device that deploys a chiller and requires no plumbing.
Mark Vruno (from left), Canon U.S.A. marketers Mark Sinanian and Bob Barbera, and CJ Cannata.
Also shown was Canon’s toner-based imagePRESS V1350 digital press, introduced two years ago, which can print on synthetic media (up to 4-mm polyester) for added durability. When it comes to helping to sell production printing devices, Canon encourages a “hunting” approach, according to Barbera. He stresses how finding qualified production opportunities differs from selling to enterprise clients. To assist, the OEM’s sales training is not solely instructor-led, pointed out Mark Sinanian, Canon VP of marketing. “Remote SMEs [subject matter experts] often can get training done faster, the way dealers want it.” Minimizing travel helps to contain costs, too, of course, he added.
The marketing duo described Canon’s micro-learning strategy, which can substantially increase retention. Information gets reinforced by employing tools, such as avatars, in bite-sized nuggets. “Our training videos seldom are longer than three to five minutes in length,” Barbera informed. A proactive, rapid-recall coaching concept also was praised by Sinanian. From security and media inquiries to hard objections, it helps if reps are prepared for questions that commercial print prospects may ask.
By taking advantage of Canon’s digital content campaign playbooks for email and social-media campaigns, “smaller dealers can market themselves as bigger dealers,” Sinanian concluded.
Production Printing Growth
Ricoh executives credited dealers for its impressive, 150%+ growth in production printing over the past six years. “Our growth is because of the dealer channel,” said Gavin Jordan-Smith, senior VP/GM and head of the Global Sales Strategy Division in Ricoh’s Graphic Communications (RGC) business. Production print represents a growing market “in an industry that’s shrinking,” Jordan-Smith observed, citing statistics from I.T. Strategies that show a 6% consolidation rate.
CJ Cannata and I talked production printingand all things dealer channel with Ricoh USA’s Brian Balow (left), VP of U.S. channel sales/service, and an emotive Gavin Jordan-Smith, global sales and strategy chief.
Maintaining a reselling market mentality, Brian Balow, VP of U.S. channel sales/service, said that he and his production printing teammates will continue to embrace the distribution channel. Balow has grown his internal support staff fourfold (from five to now 20 people) since 2019. Under the theme “Innovation Unleashed” at the show, Ricoh’s message to dealers was all about its integrated solutions. The OEM brought hardware to the Sunshine State:
- The AI-powered RICOH Pro VC80000 continuous feed, color inkjet system features advanced end-to-end intelligent automation. Ricoh says this machine seamlessly bridges the gap between offset and digital, ensuring remarkable image quality and consistent color across applications such as direct mail, brochures, and custom applications.
- The RICOH Pro C9500, RICOH Pro C7500, and RICOH Pro C5410S digital color sheetfed presses highlighted enhanced media flexibility, fifth-color options, gold and silver embellishments, and an array of inline finishing processes.
“When we bought IBM 10 years ago, we bought their AI Lab,” Jordan-Smith explained. Now called RICOH Predictive Insight, customers can gain real-time visibility into production trends and consumables usage, reduce labor and errors through automated data collection, and increase press utilization with AI-driven analytics and predictive maintenance—all leading to faster troubleshooting and increased uptime. The new systems launched within the past 12 to 18 months, noted Jordan-Smith, “and are all AI-ready.”
For Ricoh’s dealer-partners, production printing can have a positive impact on profit-and-loss statements. “Think about production print in terms of annuity streams,” Jordan-Smith encouraged, noting that dealers already have built up the necessary infrastructure and understand the service/aftermarket business model. “It’s all about maximizing the return on earnings and invested capital,” he stressed.
Teaming Agreement
Konica Minolta’s two points of focus at the show were sheetfed toner and digital embellishment. (More on the latter topic in a moment.) In addition to breaking down internal walls, the OEM remains intent on working with dealers to simplify the production printing opportunity. As proof, Frank Mallozzi, president of IPP at Konica Minolta Business Solutions, U.S.A., Inc., cited a “teaming agreement” designed for its seven largest dealers. “This is not a simple reseller agreement,” Mallozzi explained. “It’s a true partnership . . . with horsepower” and white-glove aspects that extend beyond traditional buy-sell authorization.
For Konica Minolta dealer partners, Jason Dizzine, VP of production print portfolio management and planning, contends that having a technical foundation is not enough. “Dealers need a strategy around production printing,” he said, and, in many cases, it’s about finding a starting point.
For example, Dizzine noted that the AccurioLabel 230, an entry-level, toner-based digital label printer, can help dealerships get into the high-growth label and packaging arena. Featuring four-color printing and speeds up to 76 ft./min., the AL 230 can serve as an ideal foot in the proverbial door for dealer that have the proper infrastructure in place and that drive their business with service. This year marks the AL line’s tenth anniversary for Konica Minolta, and Dizzine reported reaching nearly 2,000 placements. “We are on target for fiscal year 2025,” he said.
Konica Minolta’s Jason Dizzine (left) and CJ Cannata.
Production printing is the one place where recurring revenues are growing, Dizzine added, noting that IDC (International Data Corp.) has reported high-speed cutsheet inkjet growth of up to 14%. The OEM now boasts more than 200 installations of its AccurioJet KM-1 Inkjet Press worldwide, with significant output volume growth as well.
“We can’t just keep chasing boxes,” believes Dizzine. Production applications are different, for sure, but the heavier duty devices use the same toner as office printers, he said, so they really are not mysterious. “They’re just faster,” he observed. KM’s fifth-generation AccurioJet 30000 model features a new inking system that speeds at 3,000 sheets per hour. The AJ 60000, its B2 format inkjet press, is presently being beta-tested and is scheduled for release in Q3 2026.
Mallozzi closed by saying that production printing is all about dealers adding value for customers. “It’s a way to fuel your business model,” he encouraged, adding a warning message for procrastinators: “The window on production print is open, but it will be closing.”
Enhancing Print’s Power at PRINTING United
Amid the digital, production printing presses, including inkjet technology, on display, print embellishment was an overarching theme at this year’s show. In a past era thought of in terms of “postpress” or finishing, today’s technology and software advancements essentially have democratized so-called embellishment special effects that had been reserved for advertising and marketing agencies with big, fat print budgets. Once cost-prohibitive techniques, such as foil and embossing (raised print), now can be simulated digitally and more affordably for the masses. It’s an amazing evolution for lovers of print to witness. Make no mistake, there are healthy margins for these premium services, which serve as differentiators that can get progressive-thinking dealers through doors that previously had been closed to them.
For dealers attacking new business from a different perspective, Mallozzi asserted that embellishment “adds a ton of value” to Konica Minolta’s production presses. The OEM recently announced a metallic workflow collaboration with Adobe (Project Goldsmith) as well as an expanded education partnership with the California Polytechnic State University’s Graphic Communication Department. An ongoing relationship with Color-Logic software brings alive fifth and sixth color options.
While visiting the Sharp exhibit, an “Embellishment Technology Tour” group came through the booth. The brainchild of Taktiful, the special-effects software firm led curious parties on a peer-learning excursion to see the various ways its partners are employing digital embellishments and specialty finishing technologies—from foils, coatings, and textures to specialty inks and embellishment software. Taktiful even created an official sample gallery and printed tour guide.
Sharp’s show focus was tactile and visual. Improving dealer profitability was on the mind of Dino Pagliarello, VP of product management and production print for Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. On our booth tour, he highlighted the OEM’s diverse offerings for the dealer channel. The layout exhibited technology “on the basis of how people consume information,” Pagliarello explained. “It’s not just documents, but AV and documents . . . a visual-tactile combination.”
CJ (left) with production printing expert Dino Pagliarello at the Sharp booth.
Sharp showed its flagship production printing press: the BP-1200S six-color, toner system. During the show, the OEM welcomed New York City’s Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office as an authorized production print dealer. Next summer, expect to see an 80-ppm color device targeting high-end office use, such as in central reprographics departments, school districts, and large law firms. Meanwhile, the OEM highlighted its third-party partnerships at PRINTING United Expo 2025. Pagliarello cited Duplo, GBC, Formax, Plockmatic, and Taktiful as examples, adding that “these are all now in our price book for dealers.”
As he watched the aforementioned Embellishment Tour pass by, Pagliarello mentioned that Troy Olson, president of Salt Lake City dealer Les Olson IT, is using Taktiful to train his sales people.
Kyocera Document Solutions America, too, was focused on the ability to deliver finished products. The OEM is adding four inline options to its production printing inkjet hardware:
- A cover feeder (particularly suited for the educational vertical market)
- Full-bleed trimming (also for education applications)
- Hole-punching and perforating (for publishing and transactional printing)
- A roll-to-cut add on from Tecnau
Kyocera’s “inkjet man” Dustin Graupman (left) gave CJ a booth tour.
Some of these expanded finishing capabilities are available now, according to Dustin Graupman, senior director of Kyocera’s inkjet division, and all will be functional by this coming January (2026). Expected in summer of ’26 is a configuration with two print engines inline, able to print 292 ppm, which Graupman said is ideal for direct mail and billing applications. Also next year (in Q1 or Q2), the OEM’s engineers in Japan are working to bring to market the highly anticipated TASKalfa Pro 55000c: a version for coated paper stock.
Interestingly, Kyocera maintains a unique position in that it owns the printhead technology, pointed out Graupman. People seem to be increasingly opening their minds as to how much more reliable inkjet technology is, he added. Plus, the movement away from single-click pricing toward ink-based consumption models can make the technology even more profitable for dealers.
RISO, too, is enthusiastic about inkjet’s future. Andre D’Urbano, sales VP, discussed energy and electricity cost considerations as the pace of AI picks up in the printing industry. More print shops are considering inkjet, he believes, because the technology requires no heat, which substantially reduces power consumption. RISO’s oil-based inks cure instantly, he noted, and do not require driers or substrate de-curlers.
RISO is partnering with Plockmatic, as well, for finished book work in the popular squareback/saddle-stitch binding style. D’Urbano concluded our on-site interview by stating his contention that inkjet is not an “instead of” toner proposition, it’s in addition to toner. Both technologies have their place, depending on the applications.
Wide Formats and Textile Printing
KM also introduced its new AccurioWide 250HS. Designed for print shops, the wide-format hybrid device “prints on almost anything [media] less than 1.75 inches,” Dizzine announced. In addition to production sheetfed and continuous feed inkjet, Canon used its massive space to showcase its latest in wide-format and industrial inkjet, automated finishing, label printers for packaging, and textile printing solutions. PRINTING United Expo 2025 marked the global tradeshow debut of the Colorado XL-series, a new wide-format printer for packaging available in roll-to-roll (XL7R) and hybrid (XL7H) configurations. While the XL offers white ink, the Colorado M-series is modular, allowing for the addition of more color and/or higher speed.
The manufacturer’s showcase also included other large-format printers from the Arizona product family. A flatbed, toner device, the Arizona’s 2380 GTF configuration offers tactile effects for textured printing. It features two rows of print heads that yield output at speeds of 1,000 square feet per hour. From its water-based imagePROGRAF printer, Canon highlighted five- and seven-color models. (An art series offers options in 11 and 12 colors, including fluorescents, such as hot pink.)
Canon also highlighted its PRISMA production solutions and its inkjet innovation area. Attendees had the opportunity to see the HeightIQ software, an AI-powered tool for creating height maps for elevated printing effects. At the show, Canon received three 2025 PRINTING United Alliance Pinnacle Awards for its innovation and technical excellence.
Textile printing represented the other side of the PRINTING United Expo. This segment of the business accounted for almost half of the more than 835 companies exhibiting “and continues to grow,” reports Amanda Kliegl, VP of public relations for the PRINTING United Alliance trade association. Ricoh ran its RICOH Ri 4000. The digital textile printer streamlines the production of direct-to-garment (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTF) items with a built-in pretreatment system.
In conclusion, the rebound of Xerox as a prominent player at the show was noteworthy, following the parting of ways with Fujifilm. CJ and I enjoyed the opportunity to sit down with Jacques-Edouard Gueden, who was named chief revenue officer in September 2025. In this role, he leads the company’s direct and indirect print go-to-market units. Gueden, a 36-year industry veteran, has spent half of his career within the channel. “These have been two heart-breaking years,” he acknowledged, “since saying goodbye to Fuji Xerox.”
New Xerox Chief Revenue Officer Jacques-Edouard Gueden (left) talks with CJ Cannata.
Some 70% of Xerox’s business is partner-led, Gueden informed, and 75% of the technology industry, including cybersecurity, will be partner-delivered. With the acquisition of Lexmark, he noted that “the number of our dealer-partners is growing.” Overall, “distribution is moving away from being vertical. It now is horizontal,” he continued. “The mentality is, ‘I know my customers.’ There’s an intimacy factor with the client.”
However, he quickly added a tough-love message: Dealers need to get comfortable with letting digital take the lead. “Expertise in print is good but not good enough in an eroding market,” Gueden warned, citing healthcare, legal, and retail as prime vertical markets into which dealer owners can tap. He sees big marketing opportunities for Xerox on the IT services side of the business, noting that there are approximately 65,000 companies with between 500 and 1,000 seats. “We can help our partners to scale up IT . . . with compatible margins,” he assured.
Finally, Gueden also sees the dealer channel becoming more creative with production printing applications. “The inkjet-toner debate will play out over the next five years,” he forecasted.
PRINTING United Expo 2025 welcomed more than 30,000 registered attendees (from 104 countries), according to the PRINTING United Alliance, and also featured more than 100 educational sessions and presentations. The event spanned one million square feet of exhibit space sold. Nearly 60 media outlets, including The Cannata Report, participated along with association partners from around the world. The PRINTING United Expo returns to Las Vegas in 2026: September 23-25.
