Konica Minolta named a Major Player in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Security Solutions and Services Hardcopy

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MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, March 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. (Konica Minolta) today announced it has been named a “Major Player” in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Security Solutions and Services Hardcopy 2022-2023 Vendor Assessment (doc #US48851622, January 2023). The report notes Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Connected Workplace business philosophy as a key strength in the company’s offerings. The study assessed the market for security solutions and services hardcopy through the IDC MarketScape model, which factors in both quantitative and qualitative aspects that position vendors for success in this important global market.

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The Intelligent Connected Workplace is a customer-centric distributed-work model to enable both onsite and mobile work with 24/7 access to data anytime, from anywhere, to help customers on their digital transformation journey. As part of the Intelligent Connected Workplace, Konica Minolta has combined its print and IT services businesses and views print products as other Internet of Things (IoT) devices that are part of the IT framework. The MarketScape report states, “[Konica Minolta] takes a holistic view of security and includes print assets within the construct of an overall view of IT security.”

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“We believe that security in today’s workplace has never been more important,” said Chris Bilello, Vice President, Business Solutions Development, Konica Minolta. “Organizations in every sector are still determining the best ways to work following all the disruption and changes the pandemic required. Based on the growing incidence of security breaches, we’re focused on delivering the best products and services with essential security features to help protect our customers’ businesses.”

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Many of these security features are delivered as embedded, device-level technology, offered as standalone offerings as part of Managed Print and Document Services (MPDS). The IDC MarketScape states that “Konica Minolta’s roots in print and document security date back almost 20 years, when the firm decided as a print device manufacturer that it would offer essential security features such as hard drive encryption and hard drive overwrite to meet military defense standards.” In keeping with the advances in storage technology, Konica Minolta has migrated its product line to Solid State Drive (SSD) storage, which provides enhanced security such as “always on” self-encryption.

The IDC MarketScape report also notes that the company’s focus on security includes cloud printing and management with its cloud solutions and platforms, as well as its ability to host the services. In May 2022, Konica Minolta debuted Shield Guard, a new cloud service for remote security monitoring and management of bizhub MFPs. Shield Guard is a centralized, cloud-based platform that provides automatic notifications and remediation so that businesses can control the security status of their fleets from anywhere. It offers a graphical dashboard for at-a-glance status monitoring that includes all relevant KPIs and enables easy device and policy management for network administrators.

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“Managing the security settings of multiple MFPs can be difficult,” said Bilello. “Network administrators often struggle with setting and remembering strong passwords. Shield Guard, together with bizhub SECURE and bizhub SECURE Platinum or bizhub SECURE Healthcare, makes it much easier to manage security policies, group devices or set policies for individual devices and create reports that can be exported and distributed internally. In addition, alerts notify the administrators of at-risk devices, unsecured MFP settings and device and policy assessments as they happen – right from the dashboard via Security alert pop-ups and automatic emails when a device falls out of compliance.”

For Shield Guard or any of its offerings, Konica Minolta starts engagements with a consultancy process that also encompasses “a 360-degree view of discovery” from a security perspective. The company’s related services portfolio offers managed print services, infrastructure managed services, cloud services, managed content services, workflow and automation and managed security services. Together with its print devices, including its award-winning bizhub multifunction printers (MFPs), Konica Minolta can provide its customers with start-to-finish solutions that also provide essential security.

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The IDC MarketScape notes companies should consider Konica Minolta because, “Konica Minolta’s vision for the Intelligent Connected Workplace provides a solid foundation for those organizations looking to implement security as part of a modernized approach for print and document infrastructure.”

In addition, the report notes “Konica Minolta should also be on the short list of vendors for those companies looking to implement globalized services with consistency across multiple geographic locations.”

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta’s journey started 150 years ago, with a vision to see and do things differently. We innovate for the good of society and the world. The same purpose that kept us moving then, keeps us moving now. Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. is reshaping and revolutionizing the workplace to achieve true connectivity through the Intelligent Connected Workplace. With our comprehensive portfolio, we deliver solutions to leverage mobility and cloud services and optimize business processes with workflow automation. Konica Minolta’s IT Services Division offers a range of IT strategy, support and network security solutions across all verticals. Konica Minolta has been recognized by Brand Keys as the  #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier market for sixteen consecutive years. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine years in a row. We partner with our customers to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit www.konicaminolta.ca and follow Konica Minolta on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter (@KonicaMinoltaCA), and Instagram!

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About IDC MarketScape

The IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weakness of current and prospective vendors.

Contact Information
Konica Minolta Media Relations – Canada
Marketing Department, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd.
info@bt.konicaminolta.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/52707cbd-a338-4c2c-8d76-8835582b1825