STAFF WRITER
Leading digital technology provider, Canon is providing affordable printers to the Zimbabwean business community in a bid to ensure the locals get authentic products.
The company has been leaving its mark on the printing industry since its establishment in Japan nearly 90 years ago.
For many residential and commercial users, Canon printers are the go-to for all their printing needs.
This applies to many regions in Africa, including Zimbabwe, where Brett Hensberg, Managing Director at Eskill Trading, is the Canon distribution partner.
Eskill Trading sells to resellers and select corporates, government agencies and education institutions across the country to ensure local availability of authentic products, cartridges, and service parts.
Hensberg explains: “We really believe that we’re adding value to our customers by being the dedicated distribution partner in the country that carries stock, hardware, consumables, and spares. Eskill Trading further helps its customers by investing in highly trained technicians who can be deployed anywhere in Zimbabwe to address concerns, which is essential for after-sales services and peace of mind. We’re also very invested in bringing the best technologies and opportunities to our customers by offering them more choice to meet a customer’s needs through the wide range of Canon products we stock.”
Michelle Janse Van Vuuren, Channel Marketing Manager for Canon Sub-Saharan Africa, elaborates on Canon’s vision in Zimbabwe, stating that its people are “very entrepreneurial” and “proactive” in the face of new opportunities.
“We’ve seen substantial growth in the region, where locals want to use our products because of the benefits they offer. Canon is committed to keep expanding and growing our B2B and B2C businesses, with a strong focus on the B2B market.
“We believe we’re achieving this through various marketing efforts and continuously providing our markets with printers that suit their specific needs.”
Hensberg said the company done work for the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), which is an ongoing relationship in light production print, and it is working with several educational institutions, where we are transforming the culture of print.
“In the workspace managed print environment, we are not only working closely with educational institutions to transform the way they print and manage the cost of print, but we are also engaging with corporates, and we look forward to transforming the entire print landscape with the hope that we will be able to add even more value to our local market and reduce e-waste and paper waste, which is an incredible cost that is often overlooked,” he adds.
Specific to document management and Canon’s Scan2X scanning solution, an intelligent document capture solution that makes scanning simple for everyone, Hensberg adds that Eskill Trading is currently working with Fivet Animal Health Care in helping them manage their digital archiving project.
This project will serve as a case study to ideally attract many more customers in need of a solution to manage their data.
Eskill Trading, with the support of Canon South Africa, will be hosting a digital transformation breakfast, and special guests invited to attend
include decision-makers across healthcare, education, mining, manufacturing, automotive, and many more sectors.
The gathering will give guests firsthand exposure to the new Canon Scan2X and Image RUNNER Advance DX Range.
Hensberg concludes that, “Our continuous re-investment in technology in our showroom means that we can train customers and help them understand the turn-key business of managed print, document management, and production print.”
Canon continues to see great promise in the Zimbabwe market, and together with distribution partner Eskill Trading, they are committed to growing the market with sustainability, continuity, and innovation at the core of its business.
Supporting the needs of the market
What sets Canon apart from others, and helps it serve Zimbabwe’s unique market needs, is that it has a printer for every need. With a broad range of printers that can produce anything from ID photos to newspapers or exam papers, Canon ticks all the boxes for various industries.
One such printer is the wireless Canon image PROGRAF TC-20. Pieter Pieter’s, Business Development Manager, B2B Pro Print and LFP at Canon South Africa, explains that it’s a compact and practical printer for businesses that require large format prints and face budget and space constraints.
As such, the TC-20 is a top contender in the region. Customers can expect professional prints whether they are printing in A4 or all the way up to A1.
This allows Zimbabweans to print their own materials from their phones or tablets, cut costs, and operate more competitively in the region using the versatile TC-20.
The TC-20 has been designed to meet the needs of various sectors. Architecture, engineering, and construction businesses deal with highly variable working environments and need to print larger sizes.
In retail and hospitality, printing marketing collateral such as posters and in-store advertising materials is an essential way of engaging customers and driving in-store sales.
Educational institutions have a constant need for printed materials to communicate with students and staff.
Pieter explains why the TC-20 can meet these needs for Zimbabwean businesses, “It has a small footprint, but it is powerful. We understand that customers’ device needs vary dramatically based on their unique working environments and roles. They may be operating in rugged conditions on site, in a traditional office, or, increasingly, at home, thanks to the rise of hybrid working. These businesses may be faced with the choice of either outsourcing their large-scale printing work –which costs time and money – or investing in their own large format printer,” Pieter’s added.
“That’s why we’re giving businesses the chance to future-proof their operations with quality printers that have the potential to grow with them.”
Donna Friend, Regional Director for Canon Sub-Saharan Africa, adds, “The image PROGRAF TC-20 consumes less power during operation and standby than competitor models in the market, which makes it the first Canon large format printer to receive an EPEAT Gold rating – the highest level of registration. It’s a solution designed to suit every opportunity.”