LFP - Large-Format-Printing
Canon consolidates and expands flatbed printer manufacturing in Europe
Tuesday 02. October 2018 - Canon has expanded its manufacturing facility in Poing (Munich, Germany) in order to consolidate global production of its flatbed printing systems in Europe, increasing both scale and effectiveness to support continued growth.
By concentrating flatbed manufacturing in one location in close proximity to its inkjet R&D teams, Canon aims to accelerate future innovation to benefit customers in the graphic arts and industrial printing markets.
Canon already manufactures Océ Arizona flatbed printers at the Poing site, so the consolidation of all production in one location will leverage the inkjet technology expertise and established infrastructure in Europe. Both the manufacturing workforce in Poing and the Venlo, Netherlands-based R&D team are being expanded to support the transfer of manufacturing from Vancouver, Canada.
The enhanced production line, which includes special tooling, routing and climate-controlled facilities for the assembly of sensitive components, will be fully operational by the end of September 2018. Canon aims to increase flatbed production by over 30%, completing three Océ Arizona printers a day from October 2018.
This growth in manufacturing output is supported by upgraded prototyping laboratories and testing facilities in Venlo, and an expanded network of suppliers in Europe and the Americas to extend Canons global supply chain for its wide format solutions. The move to Poing will shorten lead times from order to delivery and installation for European customers, as well as harmonising service and support.
Jeppe Frandsen, Canon Europe Executive Vice President, comments: “By moving all flatbed production to a centralised European facility, we aim to build on our strong market position, cultivate new ideas and fuel innovation. This will ensure that the Océ Arizona series continues to play a pivotal role in enabling customers to evolve with an ever-changing market, for example by enhancing their productivity and accessing new application opportunities.”
Since the launch of the Océ Arizona flatbed printer series over a decade ago, Canons continuous innovation in flatbed technology has enabled customers to explore new revenue streams beyond traditional signage and graphics products, and take advantage of the trend in mass customisation. There are currently 7,000 Océ Arizona printers installed worldwide and around one in four Océ Arizona users is active in the production of applications other than graphics, such as printed interior décor, short-run customised packaging and decorated products. For customers working with corrugated materials or challenging warped media such as plywood, Canon introduced the High Flow Vacuum (HFV) in 2017 to support increased productivity, quality and the use of lower cost media.
Canon pursues a programme of continuous innovation across its wide format technology portfolio, with a sustained focus on delivering improved productivity, quality, media versatility and total cost of ownership for customers, and enhancing end-to-end process automation.
Jeppe Frandsen concludes, “Over the past 16 years, the creativity and dedication of our team in Vancouver has been instrumental in the success of the award-winning Océ Arizona series. Building on this strong heritage in flatbed technology, the concentration of skills, knowledge and manufacturing capabilities in Europe will allow us to evolve our flatbed inkjet offering even further. This strategic move and the investments that underpin it will prepare Canon for future growth in wide format, and allow us to develop cutting edge solutions that help our customers access the exciting growth opportunities in graphic arts, printed décor and packaging.”