Following a Successful U.S. Launch, Konica Minolta Users Group Goes Global

PROKOM, the independent community of Konica Minolta production printing users, is setting its sights on becoming a global organization following a successful launch in the United States and Europe.

PROKOM had its official debut in the United States at Graph Expo last month. The response was "fantastic," according to organizers, who are now actively recruiting membership through www.prokom.org.

Companies across Europe and the United States are joining the community of Konica Minolta production printing users, which was first launched in February 2014. Members can connect, learn and grow their business approaches through a mixture of online support and training. These initiatives include market insights from Infotrends, as well as a host of independent consultants. The aim is to lead business transformation, providing practical business advice and learning to individuals across a print business through its knowledge platform.

Easy to use, the Web-portal targets content and practical advice to key departments within a print business. These include key functions such as prepress departments, production, HR, business strategy for owners as well as sales and marketing functions. Every key function within a print business covered with practical tools, insight and plans to help them transform their approaches.

A series of major initiatives, including an inaugural annual conference next year in Vienna from May 10-12, are being planned by the PROKOM team. They will be fully backed and supported by Konica Minolta as part of its commitment to the community that has an independent board of directors.

PROKOM developments will also be spotlighted at The UK Print Show, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, from Oct. 11-13, where Konica Minolta is a major exhibitor.

Mark Hinder, head of market development, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, notes, “Following successful activities we ran at drupa 2016 and now the launch of PROKOM USA, the team focus now shifts to demonstrating the value of PROKOM as a community that is being built to enable members to connect, learn and grow their businesses. It is important that we help lead business transformation through our commitment to the PROKOM community so that our customers can adapt to the change taking place in the print industry.

“PROKOM is a strategic initiative from Konica Minolta that provides a proactive platform for customers to shape their ideas in the production printing industry to which we are fully committed. We have been listening to our customers’ needs to help empower them to transform and adapt.”

Customers can register online for free as a blue member which provides all users insight and content to grow their approaches. The aim is they will then upgrade to Elite for the full range of benefits from e-learning and access to webinars, podcast and business tools.

Andy Barber, chairman of PROKOM, adds, “For Elite membership we wanted to ensure that every company could easily gain access to gain the most out PROKOM, not putting learning out of reach by having expensively priced courses. We felt by having just one flat fee, which is less than 34 Euros per month, we can demonstrate the strong proposition and value of PROKOM to deliver effective programs, which are within the reach of all print companies.”

The PROKOM board members are Chairman Andy Barber, director — imail, UK Mail PLC; Andy Fry, managing director, Nova Direct, UK; Arndt Eschenlohr, managing director of OvernightPrints Europe ; Thierry Paquit, managing director of Identic, Belgium; and Christian Kopocz, founder of prindoz.com, Germany.

Source: Konica Minolta.