According to Helman, Creo has positioned itself well in the region over the past 12 months, clocking up sales figures that any company would be glad to call its own. Helman says that Creo’s CTP products have gained a 38 per cent market share in the region for the past 12 months, with packaging and newspaper segments leading the way with 50 per cent market share each. This is followed by the commercial CTP segment with a 34 per cent market share, lower only because of the sheer number of CTP suppliers in that particular market space.
Helman puts this success down to the clear focus that Creo has implemented and stuck to over a long period of time.
“Strategies shouldn’t change regularly. It annoys customers and confuses the organisation. You need to define a set strategy, even though the methods by which you achieve it may need to change,” says Helman.
“One of the cornerstones to our strategy is to have the highest value proposition for imaging through Creo’s Value In Print initiative.”
Such a strategy, according to Helman, is being spearheaded by such Creo technology as stochastic screening and the SquareSpot imaging technologies.
Helman says that he sees huge opportunities in the newspaper segment, and in commercial printing where unit replacement rates over the next five or so years are expected to soar.
“The biggest opportunities are the medium size printers running a number of multicolour presses, as the technology will begin to come into their price range,” says Helman.
“For the A2 market to take off though, and even into the A1 market, we believe that processless plates are going to be key. Getting rid of the need for an expensive and sophisticated processor system is what is needed.”
However, Helman does not expect processless plates with the right mix of quality, imaging speed, run length and price to be available for another 12 to 24 months.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter