How Investing in Digital Labels, Automation and Workflow Positions You for a Profitable 2026

Harness 2026’s Demand Surge – Why Digital Label Printing is the Answer

2026 is the year brands are asking for more from print: faster turnarounds, shorter runs and personalized products that stand out.

That demand translates into opportunity – particularly in digital label printing. For commercial printers looking to expand and label converters looking to modernize, digital label presseshave matured to deliver speed, agility and profitability without complexity. Supplement your traditional equipment with digital technology that boasts smart automation, enabling your team to confidently take on more SKUs, more variability and more value-added work. This blueprint highlights three trends shaping the market – and how to capitalize on each to build high-margin growth.

This blog was originally published by Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH.

While technology has enhanced convenience, it has also driven a culture of mass production, consumption and disposal. This presents serious challenges such as resource depletion. In response, society is shifting toward a recycling-oriented model. At the same time, consumer expectations have shifted dramatically. Consumers are increasingly favoring products with a less environmental impact and expecting greater environmental accountability from manufacturers.

5 Key Reasons Some are Hesitant about the Shift

Having spent 40 years in the commercial print industry, I’ve witnessed the rise of nearly every digital technology, from all the leading manufacturers. Despite technical advancements, none consistently matched the image quality, reliability, and production consistency of offset.

I believe the hesitation often stems from what I refer to as a “Hammer on the Head” mindset, a tendency for businesses to stick with familiar methods, even if those methods are painful or inefficient, simply because that’s the way it’s always been done. Change only happens when someone stops the hammer from hitting their head. And I know from experience, as I was part of that group for many years.

One of the major challenges small business owners often face is maintaining and improving productivity. In this article, we will explore how you can unleash the power of smart printing solutions to boost productivity and efficiency in your workplace. From customizable settings to seamless integration with cloud applications, we will provide you with valuable tips and insights on how to optimize your printing process.

Print is a unique industry with a 600-year history of innovation in technology, creativity, commerce and craftsmanship.

When Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press in 1440, he fired the starting gun on the Renaissance, the Reformation and ultimately the scientific flowering that ushered in the Enlightenment and the modern era.

These developments in turn created the conditions for the print industry’s own extraordinary progress – a positive feedback loop enabling new techniques, technologies and materials that opened up new markets and opportunities for printers.

With such a huge role in shaping social, cultural, economic and intellectual life worldwide, it’s no wonder Time Life Magazine called print the “most important invention of the second millennium.”

But there’s no innovation without risk. Today, digital has displaced print as the dominant medium for mass communication, and the print industry is once again undergoing a major transformation.

Over the past 20 years, Konica Minolta’s bizhub series has revolutionized office technology and redefined how businesses operate. From its inception to its position today as a leader in digital office solutions, the bizhub brand has continuously evolved to meet the needs of modern workplaces, fueled by advances in technology and a commitment to innovation.

The name bizhub comes from the abbreviation “biz” for business, and “hub,” which means the centre of a place or relay point of a network. It embodies the idea of putting you at the centre of your business.

As we celebrate two decades of bizhub in 2025, let’s take a closer look at the evolution of office technology, the impact of digital transformation on business productivity and sustainability and how bizhub continues to lead.

Top Reasons to Upgrade Your Multifunction Printer

1. Outdated Print Equipment
2. Overwhelming and Excessive Need for IT Support
3. Weak Cybersecurity and Vulnerable Data
4. Evolved and Updated Business Needs
5. Reduced Print Quality and Functionality

A multifunction printer (MFP) can be viewed as the heart of an organisation’s print environment. A healthy and operating MFP acts as the centralised hub in the workplace where all printing, copying, faxing, and scanning takes place. Organisations are surprisingly stubborn when it comes to holding onto outdated and underperforming printers considering the integral role MFPs play in print environments.

The rise of digital technology has revolutionized various industries, and printing is no exception. To stay ahead, printing presses must be more innovative, efficient and sustainable than ever before. For more than 20 years, Konica Minolta has been at the forefront of digital commercial printing, delivering exceptional solutions that shape the future of print.

Today, we’re excited to take you behind the scenes of the new AccurioPress C14010 series, crafted in Japan’s Mikawa Digital Manufacturing Centre – an engineering marvel balancing cutting-edge innovation, sustainability and meticulous craftsmanship.

At Konica Minolta, we are passionate about driving meaningful change in the areas of sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). Our recent global DE&I event, “Sustainability & Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) in Action,” brought together more than 300 participants from 35 countries to explore the pressing topics shaping our collective future.

This inspiring event was opened by our President and CEO, Tom Taiko, and moderated by Milan Lakhani, Director of Transformation and Partner ESG in BEU. With a panel of thought leaders from top clients, the capital markets and Konica Minolta’s leadership, we delved into expectations, goals and challenges tied to sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. Let’s explore the key takeaways from this impactful discussion:

In today’s fast-paced digital world, content is King—but managing it can feel like a never-ending quest. For enterprise businesses, content management is not just about organizing files, it’s about the data and information in those files that drives digital transformation (DX) and helps organizations achieve business goals more efficiently.

DX involves modernizing mission-critical processes, digitizing workflows, and leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies. But none of this is possible without a solid foundation of Enterprise Content (EC). Your EC is more than just data, it’s your intellectual property and the fuel that drives business outcomes.

But here’s the challenge: content is often fragmented across multiple repositories, not only creating operational friction, but causing compliance issues too. The average organization has 7-10 information management repositories, making it nearly impossible to view and manage content effectively.

Let’s explore the new world of content management and how it can revolutionize your enterprise.