Likewise, there are two other tie-ups that came up early this year. The Kodak-Konica Minolta and KBA-RR Donnelley tie-ups. While not much is heard about the KBA-RR Donnelley tie-up, we understand that the Kodak-Konica Minolta tie-up in India will enable Kodak to sell KM’s flagship Bizhub Press C8000.
There are other bondings over finishing lines too, and the spirit of companionship is prevailing across the board and they seem to come in all shapes and sizes. And based on the current trends, it is likely that there will be far more forging then breaking, partnerships in future.
It is said that in difficult times, people pull together to make the best of a bad situation. These tie-ups suggest that print manufacturers are taking digital seriously.
While these partnerships would be clearly beneficial for the manufacturers, it is not known how it would benefit the printer. There is though a risk that the manufacturer, when asked to recommend a kit, will start to push partner machines that benefit their bottomline, rather than the best machine for the job.
From the manufacturers’ point of view, there would be a bigger need to worry about the partnerships than the printers. For the printers, the benefits are free product advice and compatibility with no obligation while for the manufacturers, the risk of spreading into new areas means neglecting their core offering.
It’s then time for printers, perhaps to take advantage of this growing bond among manufacturers, till it lasts.
