Speaking on the company’s booth in hall 8a, Hironori Ando, Kyocera Document Solutions president, said while Kyocera is still a relative newcomer to production digital, it had a long history in document imaging and inkjet head development through its background in high-performance office equipment.

He singled out the gestation period of its first production device, which took 14 years from the first feasibility studies, to the launch of the TASKalfa Pro 15000c in 2019, as evidence of the business developing considered technology based on customer feedback and unrivalled engineering.

“Furthermore, we found combining our inkjet technology with our water-based pigment ink contributes to solving [customers] environmental challenges,” said Ando.

Based on the group’s comprehensive capabilities, we continue to create new value to support the challenges of our customers.”

The group generated annual revenues of €12.8bn (£10.9bn) to March 2024, €2.9bn from the Document Solutions business.

To date, the firm has sold more than 200 15000c engines into EMEA alone, worldwide 600.

While Ando conceded that the SRA3 market was congested, he highlighted the TASKalfa USPs, regardless of whether it was toe-to-toe with toner or inkjet rivals.

These included: the ability to handle offset quality coated stock up to 400gsm with no pre-treatment, 1,200dpi and an advanced IR dryer.

“Our USP is concentrated on our banners [on the stand]: small footprint, big potential. Our machine has a very small footprint, and is very compact.”

While the 15000c is targeted at applications including direct mail, transactional and transpromo, the Pro 55000c expands that to also include photobooks, catalogues, books and magazines.

A typical configuration with inline finishing has a footprint of 8.5x1.1m.

On its stand, Kyocera is running live demos on a 55000c and a pair of 15000cs.

Drupa runs until Friday 7 June.