For the market for document printing and management and related services the following trends are of special importance:

Océ is responding to these trends by developing a full-line product portfolio consisting of its own hardware and software products  supplemented by OEM equipment and document-related services in combination with ongoing investments in the sales and service organization.

 

Analog to digital

In recent years most of the copiers based on analog techniques have been replaced by digital printers/copiers. Digital technology has created many new possibilities for our customers because of the improved print quality and greater reliability of the equipment. The switch to digital printing technology has been virtually completed in most of the markets important to Océ, with the exception of emerging markets, for example in Asia.

 

Color

Océ is rapidly strengthening its position in color [23% of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared to 17% of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2006] by offering a growing portfolio of color products, both developed in-house and sourced from OEM partners, and by training the sales and service staff in the use of color. In all relevant segments, in wide and small format, continuous feed and cutsheet, Océ offers customers equipment with outstanding quality and efficiency. In 2008 Océ will again be launching various innovative color products for both wide format and small format.

 

 

Increasing numbers of documents, ranging from brochures to books, that were previously printed in offset are today being printed digitally ‘on demand’. This development is being supported by the higher speed, lower costs and better quality of digital printing in both color and blackand- white in combination with a higher demand for documents in small print-runs [for example, personalized documents]. This shift is also in full swing in the display graphics market. The reasons are the same as in the graphic arts market: good quality, more efficient production and – for smaller print-runs – cheaper than analog silkscreen printing and photographic prints. Océ prepared for this shift in good time by investing in the development of hardware and software products as well as services that support this trend. The sales and professional services organizations for the graphic arts market and those for display graphics are being further expanded and trained.

 

Document-related services

Through Océ Business Services [OBS], Océ invests in selected segments of the rapidly expanding market for outsourcing. Océ is standardizing as much as possible the package that it offers for the simpler services and is fast expanding its offerings of complex services. Examples of the latter are the e-discovery services for legal service providers, the Technical Documentation Lifecycle Services for industry and, in more general terms, records management. To strengthen the development of these services, Océ took the initiative in 2007 to set up a Document Services Valley in Venlo. This is an open innovation center for the development of document-related services together with partners.

Digital documents

Digital documents are becoming more and more important. On the one hand they offer the possibility of distributing and storing documents immediately and at very low cost. On the other they create new possibilities such as multimedia documents and enable the computerization of processes and the related document flows. Océ responds to this by offering software and services that facilitate the smooth integration of paper and digital document flows.

 

Asian market

Besides expanding in the United States and Europe Océ wants to grow in Asia, a region which is now showing a fast rate of growth. In the meantime the company has its own sales companies in Malaysia,
Singapore, Thailand, Japan and China. Via distributors Océ sells printers and software in a further 12 countries in the region. In 2007 Océ achieved revenues of more than € 100 million in this region, where it has some 600 employees.
In China Océ strengthened its position through its partnership with the Founder Group, one of the largest Chinese technology businesses. Océ uses Founder controllers in its printers so that they can also print Chinese characters.

In December 2006 Océ opened an office in Bangalore, India. On the Indian market strong interest exists for Océ color printers.

In 2008 Océ will further expand its distribution power in Asia by strengthening its own sales organization and entering into agreements with independent distributors. Examples are the agreement with Fuji Xerox for sales of the successful Océ TCS color systems and the intensified partnership with Konica Minolta that were announced
in January 2008.

Partnerships – stronger together

Distribution
Renowned printer suppliers and distributors sell Océ systems in markets and regions where Océ does not have a sufficiently strong presence. Manufacturing
Some of Océ’s systems are produced by contract manufacturers under the direct supervision of Océ.
Logistics
The logistics network for the manufacture, sale and servicing of Océ systems comprizes dozens of global and local logistics service providers.
Research & Development
In all stages of Research & Development Océ maintains close contacts with scientific organizations and educational institutions. Technological know-how is shared with institutions and companies, both for in-house product development and for new developments in third-party products.
Product portfolio
The full-line product portfolio comprises not only products developed by the company itself but also selected machines from OEM partners.
Financial services
To offer customers favorable lease terms as part of a complete solution, Océ and several leading financial service providers work closely together.