Mutoh gets new Hiro

Hiro Kiyokawa is stepping into the role of director of Mutoh Australia, with a vision to raise the Japanese large format manufacturer’s profile in Australia through its growing network of dealers. He tells Australian Printer, “Our mission in Australia is to become the number one manufacturer in the large format market. We will do this by working closely with our dealers and customers and strengthening our service and support.”

Hiro

Hiro Kiyokawa, new director of Mutoh Australia (centre), flanked by Tony Chidiac, sales manager (left) and  Henry Puyat, engineer (right)

The company will release a new UV printer in the near future. Kiyokawa says the Australian flatbed printer market is mature and something of a testbed, it could predicate success in other parts of the world. He says, “We are expecting to expand our business with this market. The Australian market is a good test environment for the rest of the world – customers are discerning. They require quality. If we can find success here, we should be able to do so elsewhere.” Kiyokawa has been working with Mutoh Australia from the Japan side since it opened in 2009, after the company set up its own subsidiary in Australia. He moved to Australia two years ago to fill the post of administration manager in service and support – a part of the business he still holds close to his heart as director. Mutoh has already found considerable success in Asia; Kiyokawa says it is the top seller in China, thanks to a reputation for reliability. He tells AP, “Chinese printers require a stable machine, which Mutoh is known for, so customers choose us so they can print 24/7. China is a big market for Mutoh, but the Australian market is different. We want to work closely with our dealers to become a well-known manufacturer in this country and establish our reputation.” Part of this strategy includes taking on the services of experienced engineer Henry Puyat, who has been working on Mutoh equipment in Australia for more than ten years. He has trained at the Mutoh factory in Suwa, Japan, and will now provide technical support for Mutoh dealers and customers in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, based at the company’s headquarters in Artarmon­, Sydney.

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