As part of a new global strategy undertaken by the Netherlands-based wide format manufacturer from 1 October, the company has divided its marketing operations into three global regions: Asia and Japan including India, the EMEA and the US including South America.
According to Mimaki Europe marketing manager Mike Horsten "multiple" staff have already been taken on across the divisions and more will be put in place as the strategy evolves.
A greater marketing drive in the EMEA region will see the expansion of sales, logistics and distributor support being supplied over the coming months from Mimaki Europe rather than from its Japanese partners, as has previously been the case. The move was first hinted at when Mimaki announced the appointment of new president Hisayuku Kobayashi, in April this year.
Horsten said: "The EMEA markets are growing and flourishing and we see a lot more demand whereas western Europe is more at stand still.
"We have very good distributors out in the African and Middle Eastern countries and we want to ensure that they are getting support directly from Mimaki. It makes more sense."
He added: "It’s easier to market our products in this way and we need to be a lean and clean machine going forward. In these economic times it allows us to react to the market a lot quicker so this can only benefit us."
Horsten said that huge growth in the textile and outdoor printing markets in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa meant that the company was eyeing a "new operation" in the region in the first half of next year.
Additionally more support will be given to distributors to help them develop their websites and improve marketing strategies while Mimaki Europe will launch a number of Facebook campaigns next year to boost its web presence.
"2013 is going to be the year of the internet for Mimaki. Our investment in all of these developments is substantial," added Horsten.
