B2 And B3 Inkjet Printers Will Be Launched Next Year, And B1's Large-format Packaging Market Expansion Is Accelerating!

In recent years, with the continuous iteration and breakthrough of inkjet printing technology, its application territory has been expanding, and it is steadily penetrating from the traditional home field of commercial printing and book printing to the high-potential track of packaging printing. Mainstream inkjet printing equipment manufacturers at home and abroad have also keenly captured this trend, and have increased technology research and development and resource investment to accelerate their strategic layout in the field of packaging.

Seize market opportunities

Officially announced the layout of new products in the future

As a world-renowned manufacturer of imaging and information products, Canon is steadily advancing its strategic deployment in the field of inkjet printing with its deep technical accumulation and keen market insight. A few days ago, Canon officially announced that its B2 format varioPress iV7 sheetfed inkjet printing machine and B3 format varioPrint iX1700 sheetfed inkjet printing machine will be officially launched on the market in the second quarter of next year. This strategy is not only Canon's positive response to market demand, but also an important part of its strategic transformation.

"This is one of the important moments in the company's history", defined the new product launch by Peter Wolfe, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Canon's Production Printing Business. In his view, the launch of this new product is a "concentrated explosion of achievements" after Canon's continuous investment and deep cultivation of platform technology research and development in the past five years, and it indicates that all Canon's future products will be based on the core strategy of platform technology.

He revealed that Canon will achieve "full control" of the core components of the printing machine in the future - print heads, paper conveying devices, fusing systems and controllers will be independently developed. "We're one of the few companies in the industry that actually has all the components of this technology and can deeply integrate those components into the product," he said.

Two latest products

Efficient and diversified printing tools

The two new products launched by Canon this time not only represent the latest achievements in independent research and development of core technologies, but also reflect its accurate grasp of market demand.

Among them, the B2 format varioPress iV7 sheet-fed inkjet printing machine, designed for efficient and small-batch production, has an impressive printing speed, with a printing speed of up to 8700 sheets per hour in 4/0 format and 4350 sheets per hour in 4/4 format. If you work 6 days a week and operate 24 hours a day, the monthly output can reach up to 4.5 million B2 format images, which greatly improves the production capacity of printing enterprises.

In addition, its unique two-step drying and setting process allows prints to be immediately post-processed, further shortening the production cycle. "It is 45% faster than other B2 format inkjet printers currently on the market," the company said. "This will undoubtedly help it gain a significant advantage in the market.

varioPress iV7 single-sheet inkjet printer

The B3-format varioPrint iX1700 single-sheet inkjet printer, as an extension of Canon's iX3200 B3-format single-sheet inkjet printer product line, achieves a printing speed of 170 sheets per minute in A4 format and 83 sheets per minute in B3 format, meeting diverse printing needs.

varioPrint iX1700 Single-Sheet Inkjet Printer

Addressing customers' pain point of "thick paper printing," this device features a straight-through paper path design that not only effectively meets current customer demands for thick paper printing but also leaves ample room for potential new application scenarios in the future.

With the addition of these two brand-new printers, Canon is now able to offer customers the most extensive digital single-sheet inkjet printing product line. Currently, Canon has installed over 800 single-sheet inkjet printers worldwide, providing a solid customer base and market recognition for entering the B2 format market.

Expanding into Packaging Printing

Steady Progress from B2 to B1 Format

Canon's latest product launch not only showcases its technological strength in inkjet printing but also reveals its ambition to expand into larger-format packaging printing. Peter Wolf clearly stated that the varioPRESS iV7 was designed from the outset with folding carton printing in mind, and it will gradually upgrade to B1 format. This strategic plan means Canon will use its existing B2 equipment as leverage to gradually penetrate the larger-format printing and packaging market.

Regarding specific future plans for the B1 format, Peter Wolf pointed out that two core factors need to be considered: first, the actual market demand for B1 format equipment; and second, the priority of this area within Canon's overall investment strategy. Nevertheless, the technical path from B2 to B1 format is already clearly defined, and Canon's expansion in the packaging printing market is worth ongoing attention.

This new product launch is not only a demonstration of a single company's technological capabilities but also an important indicator of overall technological progress in the inkjet printing market. Its technological innovations and product line upgrades are driving the entire inkjet printing industry toward greater efficiency, higher precision, and more diversity, stimulating the industry's vitality and capacity for innovation. With the gradual market introduction of these new products and deeper strategic deployment in the future, the prospects for the inkjet printing market are promising.