On March 29th, the FY23 Epson Inkjet Solution Partner Conference themed "Unite Core, Conquer the World" was grandly held in Chengdu. Numerous partners from the digital printing industry nationwide, including board manufacturers, equipment providers, and ink suppliers, gathered at the scene to witness this significant event. Simultaneously, Epson showcased its advanced inkjet solutions in four major industries: advertising, labeling, corrugated packaging, and textiles, demonstrating Epson's continuous innovation and its capability to explore the depths of the industry. Moreover, this event underscored Epson's determination to further enhance its market presence and empower the digital printing industry's digital transformation.
In the ever-expanding landscape of the Chinese market, innovation and digitization have emerged as the key drivers of business expansion. As this era of "innovation + digitization" sweeps through the traditional printing industry, rapid responsiveness to user demands and the realization of industrialization and customization have become crucial for printing equipment manufacturers to gain core competitiveness in the new era. Among these, the printhead, as a core component of digital printing machines, stands out as a pivotal factor in business expansion.
Epson's printhead business, rooted in profound insights into digital trends and precise understanding of market demands, has keenly seized this significant opportunity. In 2019, Epson's printhead business officially entered the Chinese industrial inkjet printing market, embarking on a journey of collaboration with domestic partners. Leveraging its technological advantages, Epson has been dedicated to providing Chinese customers with more efficient and advanced inkjet printhead products and solutions, thus jointly driving the development of digitalization in the industry.
Mr. Shinichi Onotera, Chairman and President of Epson (China) Co., Ltd., remarked in his keynote address at the conference: "Epson has walked hand in hand with our partners through a journey filled with opportunities and challenges. During this time, based on our 'compact, precise, and energy-saving' technology and digital capabilities, Epson has developed a range of inkjet printhead products spanning from advertising printing to various industries, and has continued to collaborate with domestic manufacturers to develop innovative applications. Looking ahead, Epson will actively collaborate with more outstanding local partners to further promote industry innovation and achieve endless possibilities."
At the conference, Liang Jian, Director of Sales and Marketing Department of Inkjet Solutions Business Unit of Epson (China) Co., Ltd., comprehensively reviewed the achievements of FY23 in four aspects: exploring new areas of diversified products/solutions, comprehensive sales promotion, brand building and marketing, as well as channel management and operation. Starting from brand guidelines, market activities, and sales support, he looked forward to the market development prospects of FY24. While congratulating partners on their excellent performance, he expressed anticipation for continuing to explore digital new solutions together with partners.
Later, Mr. Gao Yue, Director of Business Strategy Department/Inkjet Solution Sales Technical and New Application Development Department at Epson (China) Co., Ltd., provided an in-depth interpretation of product and technical services by elucidating the policy of "Professional Technical Support + Localization Service + Co-creation with Partners". Taking the example of several joint laboratories established with partners in FY23, the collaborative efforts between both parties facilitate capacity and image quality optimization. They also support research and testing on ink reliability issues, thereby contributing to the deepening innovation of products and solutions. Looking ahead to the upcoming fiscal year, there is a hope to collaborate with more outstanding partners to jointly create a more professional, timely, and comprehensive technical service ecosystem. The aim is to co-create and win together, empower each other bidirectionally, and work together to create brilliance once again.
Thanks to our consistent "technology + localization" strategy, Epson has been committed to open collaboration. Leveraging our core technological advantages, we have strengthened co-creation partnerships with local partners in China. Over the past five years, an increasing number of outstanding enterprises have chosen to join hands with Epson, showcasing not only the testament to Epson's printhead products meeting the needs of Chinese users but also vivid chapters in promoting high-quality development in the digital printing field and empowering digital transformation.
Continuously forging ahead to help the digital printing industry continue to write new chapters of win-win cooperation.
At this partner conference, Epson brought inkjet solutions for advertising, labeling, corrugated, and textile industries to the forefront, showcasing the latest and best solutions developed through continuous innovation in Epson's printhead business over the past five years to our partners.
In the advertising industry, Epson industrial printheads are primarily used for indoor and outdoor signage, UV printing, and more. Epson's T3200 printhead has been optimized in terms of materials and structure for mainstream advertising applications. On the technological front, waveform optimization has been carried out to enhance ink compatibility, better catering to the diverse printing modes of various equipment manufacturers. Of note, with the optimized upgrade, UV printing equipment equipped with the T3200 printhead can fully leverage the high productivity advantages brought by multi-head combination methods. Moreover, it reduces the risk of needle breakage during high-intensity, long-term output, resulting in significant improvements in productivity and stability.
Simultaneously, for small-batch customization applications, Epson I1600-U1 and I3200-U1/U1HD are mainly used in small UV flatbed and crystal label printing equipment. These printers have low initial costs, are easy to maintain, and facilitate small-batch customization solutions. Additionally, the two printheads of the I3200 can also be applied to roll-to-roll equipment. With its 1-head 8-color (U1HD) configuration offering great cost-effectiveness and versatile application forms, it enables increased efficiency and personalized advertising product applications.
In the label industry, Epson industrial print heads are primarily used for enhancing label applications with standard color plus white, varnish, and custom spot color ink configurations. The UV inks used are compatible with various label media, enabling high-speed digital label printing. For industrial-grade label printing, the S3200 series print heads feature a unique S-shaped structural design, optimizing the space for multiple heads to be assembled closely together. This design makes the carriage structure more compact, reducing the footprint for wide-format, multi-color printing, resulting in higher production efficiency and longer lifespan. It can better handle Single-Pass printing, with a single head printing width reaching 120.2mm, enhancing printing coverage. In terms of color reproduction, the S3200 series print heads offer smooth grayscale transitions, displaying more image details and accurately reproducing complex colors, supporting high-saturation vibrant color outputs. Among them, the S3200-U1 print head can control the smallest ink droplet size at 3.2PL, ensuring high precision and sharpness, supporting high-quality output for standard color and white. The S3200-U3 print head, on the other hand, has a higher PL count and larger ink droplets to facilitate enhanced label outputs with white ink and varnish, enriching industry applications.
In the corrugated industry, Epson industrial printheads are primarily used for printing on yellow/white boxes, driving the digitization process in the corrugated sector. The corrugated industry application solutions showcased this time represent Epson's latest systematic summary of achievements from an industry perspective. In the field of corrugated packaging printing, the I3200-A1 and I1600-A1 printheads are compatible with both scanning and direct printing, offering four-color and single black/double-color options with advantages such as high cost-effectiveness, long lifespan, and stable output, providing users with more flexible choices. Additionally, to meet the demand for superior image quality performance, Epson's S3200-A3/U3 four-color industrial high-speed printing equipment elevates corrugated packaging printing to new heights, with high pl counts enhancing color density to meet the printing requirements of various types of product packaging.
In the textile printing industry, Epson industrial printheads are primarily used for dye-sublimation, direct-to-fabric (DTF) printing, and white ink printing applications. With the Epson S3200-A1 and I3200-A1 printheads, digital textile printing equipment achieves low operating costs and high-quality output, facilitating innovative applications in gold stamping fabrics, carpets, blankets, and scarves. The compact structure and high printing accuracy of the S3200-A3 direct-to-fabric printing equipment enable more vibrant color configurations with multi-color printing solutions. Meanwhile, the small-scale white ink printing equipment equipped with the I1600-A1 and the productivity-oriented white ink printing equipment with the I3200-A1 deliver fine image quality, flexibility, and efficiency, enabling small-batch and customized printing solutions.
During the conference, Epson conducted an in-depth analysis and review of the domestic market, and also shared insights into the development status and future projections of overseas markets with its on-site partners. This exchange provided valuable information and decision-making references, assisting partners in broadening their international perspectives to better seize market opportunities, expand overseas business, and jointly win in the future of the industry.
Epson engaged in profound discussions with numerous inkjet solution partners nationwide during the conference, which not only deepened the cooperation between each other but also fully demonstrated Epson's firm determination to delve into technology and drive industry progress in the Chinese market. Simultaneously, Epson actively advocated for environmental protection and conservation of water resources by hosting sustainable innovation green activities. Through collaboration with partner teams, Epson further enhanced mutual understanding and trust, jointly propelling digital transformation.
The fifth anniversary marks a milestone and a new beginning for Epson. In the future, Epson will continue to uphold its "efficient, compact, and precise" technology and digital solutions, adhering to the strategy of "technology + localization." We will strengthen collaboration with partners, aiming to empower industry digital transformation, explore broader development opportunities together, and achieve mutual benefits for a better future.
About Epson (China) Co., Ltd. Epson entered China in the 1980s, going through three stages: trade, investment and manufacturing, and comprehensive deployment. With over 40 years of development, Epson has established a comprehensive network for manufacturing, sales, and service.
Epson (China) Co., Ltd. was established in 1998, headquartered in Beijing, with 12 branch offices nationwide. As the regional headquarters, it oversees Epson's investments and business expansion in China.
Epson's business in China includes information-related products like printers, scanners, projectors, electronic components, and industrial robots. Known for outstanding quality and energy efficiency, Epson products have gained popularity among Chinese consumers. Rooted in the Chinese market, Epson adheres to the philosophy of "challenge and innovation," continuously introducing advanced technologies and solutions, enabling Chinese consumers to synchronize with the world and enjoy the perfect experience brought by innovative technology. Epson contributes to environmental protection and education in China and takes pride in being an outstanding corporate citizen in China.
Epson (China) Co., Ltd. has obtained qualifications including:
About Epson Epson is a global technology leader headquartered in Japan, with annual global sales exceeding 1 trillion yen.
Epson's mission is to create value through "efficient, compact, and precise" innovations, enriching lives and the planet. Continuously innovating in areas such as home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, vision, and lifestyle, Epson aims to achieve carbon negativity and eliminate the consumption of exhaustible underground resources like oil and metal by 2050.
