The partnership, which will enable Komori to target the digital commercial printing market, is the latest deal to offer a major offset press manufacturer a route into the digital sector.

Companies will use this May's Drupa tradeshow to showcase a prototype inkjet digital printing system, which has been jointly developed by the two parties.

Komori’s new co-operation with Konica Minolta will initially involve three digital printing devices: two inkjet presses and an electrophotographic offering based on the BizHub C8000.

The firm is marketing its digital offering under the banner of DigitalOnDemand Solutions, and the BizHub device will also be shown as a print-on-demand element of its OffsetOnDemand zone.

The two inkjet options will be shown as technology demonstrations. Neil Wrigglesworth, general manager of Komori Graphic Center, said commercial availability would hopefully be "within a year".

One digital press is a 51cm wide inkjet web that has a maximum resolution of 1,200dpi and a maximum speed of 150 metres per minute.

The second device is a 74cm wide sheetfed press, also with a maximum resolution of 1,200dpi and maximum print speed of 3,300sph. Komori confirmed the press would be able to print a B1 sheet in portrait format.

Wrigglesworth said the new digital offerings would be "a complete integrated solution".

He said: "We are looking at this as a press manufacturer, with print professional eyes.

"We are adding our own technology to produce and maintain a high level of print quality that completely matches offset."

A BizHub has already been installed at Komori’s European technical centre in the Netherlands.

In addition, Konica Minolta will also supply its established Bizhub Press C8000 platform to the offset manufacturer on an OEM basis, for distribution into Europe, Japan, the US and China.

Komori said its expanded product offering in both the digital and litho sectors would help promote an 'offset on demand' mentality to customers.

The tie-up between Komori and Konica Minolta follows on from the formation of a global alliance between Manroland and Océ in December 2011 and Heidelberg's partnership with Ricoh last February.