We are honoured to interview Yuichi Ishizuka, President and CEO of Canon Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), a visionary leader at the forefront of Canon’s innovation and expansion asking him the following questions:
1. What factors have contributed to Canon’s leadership in the digital commercial printing industry?
Canon has retained its leading position in the digital commercial printing industry with cutting-edge solutions designed to meet a wide range of printing needs. This leadership is driven by its ongoing commitment to R&D, consistently introducing innovative technologies. Through continuous investment, we remain at the forefront of the commercial printing sector, offering advanced products that address the evolving demands of the industry. Our ability to cater to customer requirements has played a crucial role in maintaining our leadership position.
Our extensive portfolio of printing solutions is designed to meet diverse customer and printing needs, with a strong focus on innovation, reliable performance, and exceptional image quality. Canon places a strong emphasis on automation, workflow optimisation, and sustainability, helping to maintain our leadership position.
We have built solid partnerships within the printing industry, backed by a robust service infrastructure and reliable technical support, ensuring seamless operations for customers. Canon, in collaboration with partners, works closely with customers to deliver the transformative technologies, expertise and support that inspire and enable them to move their businesses forward. Our focus goes beyond the individual print business by also helping PSPs devise new and better ways of working with their customers with innovative business models and new levels of collaboration and integration. We also take a leading role in inspirational and aspirational projects and communities, impacting entire supply chains and the printing industry as a whole.
2. How do you see Egypt’s market potential?
Egypt is one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, holding a prominent position due to its large population and significant contribution to the continent’s GDP.
Strategically located at the intersection of three continents, Egypt benefits from its favourable geographical position and a highly-skilled talent pool, making it a prime destination for investment. The country’s rapid progress in digital transformation has created a competitive, balanced, and diversified economy, with technology and innovation driving much of this growth.
The Egyptian market holds significant importance for Canon, and we are deeply invested in delivering enhanced value that not only drives our business forward but also contributes meaningfully to Egyptian society. We pledge to continue innovating, collaborating, and serving the local community with the utmost dedication and integrity. We do so by partnering with organisations like Egypt Post and iOS, who share our commitment to ensuring that Egypt’s growing digital population has access to the latest imaging technologies, products, and services. By understanding the unique needs of the Egyptian market and industries, Canon also supports the government’s broader efforts towards economic diversification.
3. Canon has a long-standing partnership with iOS and Egypt Post. Can you share how the collaboration has helped elevate Egypt Post’s printing capabilities?
The Egypt Post printing press is one of the oldest and most significant printing presses in both Egypt and the Middle East, playing a key role in the development of the printing industry. It meets the printing needs of both private and public sector organisations, including ministries, agencies, banks, and universities. Egypt Post plays a much broader and vital role in facilitating domestic and international trade, fostering economic growth, and connecting communities through its extensive network of post offices and innovative communications solutions.
Through our collaboration with iOS, we have installed two state-of-the-art commercial printing machines contributing to Egypt Post’s continued growth. This remarkable milestone is the result of decades of strong partnerships and joint efforts between iOS and Egypt Post, leading to mutual success in the digital commercial printing industry.
Success stories like Egypt Post, along with our strong commitment to innovation and customer service, drive us to continue expanding our offerings and services to meet the evolving needs of our customers both in Africa and worldwide. With Egypt’s active promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship in the digital space and the commitment of organisations like Egypt Post to supporting this growth, our industry’s future is bright.
4. Canon has installed the VarioPrint iX3200 and ColorStream 8160 at Egypt Post. What steps is Canon taking to further expand its offerings and ensure continued customer satisfaction?
In line with our ‘Closer to Customer’ strategy, we are dedicated to ensuring that our customers, including Egypt Post, are positioned for long-term success. Canon is fully committed to enhancing customer experiences through ongoing innovation and exceptional service. We will continually advance our technology portfolio to address the evolving needs of our customers and the commercial printing sector. By working closely with our partners, we will continue to assess local market demands and provide the most effective solutions. Additionally, we prioritise continuous support to help our customers remain competitive in the market.
As part of our dedication, we will focus on sustainable practices to minimise environmental impact while maintaining high-performance standards.
5. Canon has long been committed to giving back to society. How is Canon contributing to society in Egypt?
Driven by our corporate philosophy of Kyosei, of living and working together for the common good, Canon is committed to giving back to the communities where we operate. We are reinforcing our dedication on education, community development and environmental sustainability. We empower the next generation through initiatives such as Miraisha, Young People Programme and Student Development Programmes, fostering positive change and creating lasting value for communities in Egypt.
6. What are the three key areas that define Canon’s future strategy for Egypt?
We see Egypt as a great potential market for our future business development. We will continue to invest in R&D to introduce the latest technologies that meet the evolving needs of existing and new customers, expand our market coverage through robust distribution networks and partners and strengthen our commitment to sustainability.
By addressing local needs with cutting-edge technologies and fostering long-term partnerships, we seek to contribute to Egypt’s economic development.
