Komori has set its growth sights on the developing Asian market, greater take up of sheeted presses for packaging, exploiting its security print capability and developing new sectors like printed electronics and digital printing systems.
The strategy is laid out in the 7th medium term growth plan under which the company aims to achieve an operating profit margin of 7.6%. This is a fraction below the 7.9% it delivered for the 2026 financial year ended in March. Over the medium term it is aiming at an operating profit margin of 9% from the core sheetfed litho business where the longer term expansion plan will shift focus from Asia to Africa and South America.
In security printing, where Komori is head to head with Koenig & Bauer, it aims to expand the number of countries using Komori presses to print currency and other security documents. It plans to expand its foothold in the printed electronics sector where Komori has developed machines for semiconductor and adjacent markets with digital printing systems another market which it says “is a challenge”. It aims to advance “the adoption and early mass production of new models”, the Lithrone 29 introduced at the last Drupa being one example, which then drive annuity revenue through ink sales. There have been delays in the mass production roll out of digital printing systems, it says.
This follows on from the announcement of figures for the 12 months to the end of March. Sales rose to ¥118,611 million (¥111,050 million) and operating profit increased to ¥9,404 million (¥1,115 million).
Tariff policies, Ukraine and the Middle East have been destabilising factors to a relatively robust global economy it says.
While sales have continued to grow, incoming orders fell to ¥114,534 million (¥. Million).
There was sales growth from North America, up 35.8%, and Europe, rising 14%, while Japan remained stable and sales from China fell by 18%. In Japan the driving force has been a desire for more streamlined automated technology. North American sales were boosted by both security presses and litho machines.
Europe enjoyed the revenue from orders placed at or following Drupa as demand for printing equipment continues to recover, but investment in people, the costs of Drupa and other factors, returned a net loss. China was marked by contractions to the overall economy, countered by a demand for more automated sophisticated equipment and again boosted by exhibition, led sales.
The company points to the launch of the Lithrone GX29 Advance, its latest B2 press, as a next generation litho press as the technology highlight for the year. This addresses demand for improved productivity, better sustainability, increased automation and value added possibilities for packaging in particular.
In future Komori says the industry can expect a growth in double coater presses, machines able to create embossing line finishes inline to deliver an increase in value per sheet. KP Connect will lead the drive towards the Smart Factory lights out production concept.
