Konica Minolta announces pivot to future technology

Konica Minolta Australia has announced a major shift in the company focused on key areas including solutions, software, and future products.

“Konica Minolta is at a critical point in our evolution, which involves a reinvention to achieve its long-term goal of being a trusted technology solutions provider across enterprise, government, small business, education and manufacturing,” said Dr David Cooke, Chairman and Managing Director.

The Australian workplace is evolving rapidly. The future workplace is remote and geographically dispersed, gender diverse, ethically conscious, innovative, collaborative and fluid. A critical component of supporting the future workplace is the technology behind it, including AI and machine learning (ML), robotics, robotic process automation, wearables, augmented reality (AR), data analytics and 3D.

“We are well-positioned to help Australian organisations keep pace with the needs of the changing workplace and start leveraging the technology of tomorrow today,” said Dr Cooke. “We are investing in building a portfolio of technology solutions that will help organisations shape their future workplace through existing and future partnerships.”

AI, for example, when applied to business processes, will have incredible effects on improving and automating day-to-day tasks all while finding improvements to the workflow. According to Gartner, the deployment of AI has tripled in the past year, rising from 25% in 2018 to 37%. When it comes to 3D printing, the digital revolution continues, with the latest in metal 3D printing technology already being used in manufacturing end-parts across the world.

Future initiatives will encompass products, services and solutions designed for the future of work. These centre around the digitisation of traditional processes, creating efficient new paradigms in core industries. They demonstrate innovation and have the potential to change the way people work for the better. They include robotics in warehousing, AR for training assembly and servicing, and AI and ML for process automation and data analytics.

“When it comes to implementing and leveraging these technologies, there are massive skills shortages already in the IT sector in Australia, which means that seeking expertise outside of the business will be critical for organisations to be successful in transforming the workplace,” said Dr Cooke. “Irrespective of the size of the business, working with a trusted partner has never been more important, and Konica Minolta has a strong history in providing outstanding service and support to its customers. We are poised to help Australian business start navigating the future, starting now.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/ktsdesign