The business printing industry took a knock during the Covid-19 pandemic, with employees forced to work from home due to lockdowns and other restrictions.MyBroadband asked several business printing players in South Africa about the market and its recovery from the pandemic. HP and Konica Minolta were the only companies that answered our questions by publication.
However, it could present an opportunity in the home office market, with many employees still working from home, even if only part-time.HP back at pre-Covid sales levels They said this will enable its customers and partners to be successful in an ever-changing, dynamic, and demanding working environment.
“Simultaneously, the SMB print market is seeing a shift in demand for home office solutions, having witnessed a strong demand increase during the Covid-19 pandemic.”Mohammed Vachiat, general manager for sales at Konica Minolta South Africa, told MyBroadband that digitalisation has resulted in a modest decline in traditional printing.“The office automation industry has seen a shift in printing trends in 2023,” said Vachiat.
Vachiat said many companies already follow a hybrid, home-office model, with more businesses weighing the risk of re-opening their offices.