Exclusive: Canon Plans To Increase Its Presence In Inkjet Segment; Says C Sukumaran

The work-from-home culture and online classes have helped several sectors, such as broadband, telecom, and electronics in increasing revenues. Similarly, Canon has also reported high demands of home printers and small office printers. In fact, the company has recently announced the launch of two new printers for small offices.

The two new printers are known as the MAXIFY GX6070 and MAXIFY GX7070. Meanwhile, we got a chance to interact with C Sukumaran, Director, Consumer System Products & Imaging Communication Business, Canon India regarding the growth, expansion, and upcoming printers.

What is the impact of COVID-19 on Canon's business in India?

The pandemic has impacted the overall printer industry, we were able to maintain our momentum in the Inkjet segment due to the growing demand for home printers and small office printers. We have increased our market share in the inkjet category.

How is the growth of home printers?

Working from home and studying from home has driven the demand for home printers. This shift in usage pattern has increased the growth of home printers, as we have seen a 15-20 percent increase in demand for Inkjet printers from the Home Segment.

In addition, our PIXMA G Series has been gaining good response in the market and is widely accepted at home as well as office segments because of its lower running cost and a higher return on investment. Further, we see scope in the growth of photo printing.

What is the market share you have in the printer segment and how do you plan to increase it this year?

As per the latest report for Q1 2021, we have a 23 percent market share in the inkjet category and 24 percent in the laser category. We want to continue this growth curve and aim to further increase our presence in the inkjet segment in the coming years while maintaining a profitable commercial market share in the laser segment as well.

What is Canon's strategy for the Indian market?

We will continue to deliver high-quality products, after-sales support, and also expand our reach across regions in India. One of the important strategies adopted by us in enhancing our customer reach has been to accelerate our B2C channel, consolidating our retail presence, and e-commerce contribution.

This approach has indeed helped us in maintaining our market share and we will continue to build our presence in the home segment along with the SMB and jobber segments for the inkjet category. We also look forward to increasing our commercial B2B expansion, with a strong presence on GeM.

What else to expect from Canon this year in terms of products? How many printers are in the pipeline?

As we move forward, we will continue to expand our offerings from our best-selling series, enhanced photo longevity, and low-cost printing for photo studios, businesses, home segments, and creative work.