PARIS - January 20, 2014 and Tokyo - January 21, 2014—Konica Minolta, Inc.(Konica Minolta) and MGI Digital Graphic Technology (MGI) announced today that they have reached an agreement whereby Konica Minolta will acquire a 10% stake in MGI , valued at €13.7m, through a reserved capital increase. This investment will be dedicated to drive future growth, and is part of a common long term vision to establish a stronger presence in the professional digital printing market.

Building on a strong relationship that has lasted over a decade, the two business partners have agreed to expand their collaboration by entering into a strategic alliance that leverages both co-development and the co-marketing of existing and future products.

Creating new and mutually rewarding opportunities, Konica Minolta and MGI will build upon each other's strong history, proven track record of innovation and customer service to create a strong joint effort enabling long term successes.

By Amber E. Watson

Traditional print hardware providers view managed print services (MPS) and managed document services (MDS) as a priority strategy for serving enterprise users.

Randy Dazo, senior director, solutions and services, office group, InfoTrends, notes an interest among manufacturers in penetrating this vertical market as a means of differentiating oneself from the competition. "End users seek cost savings, which is always a competitive factor among manufacturers, but the role of MDS allows the vendor to provide true value differentiation," he states.

Management services allow a customized engagement with customers. Dazo says that with escalating costs, changing needs, and environmental concerns intensifying each year, relevant MPS and MDS solutions cater to current trends and continue to meet customer demands.

Executive Summary

Not long ago, Amica found itself maintaining a problematic fleet of printers. Significant time was being spent maintaining printers, handling help desk calls to correct printer problems, ordering toner and managing the complexities of an aging, diverse printer fleet with units spread across 39 separate branch locations and at headquarters.