Canon India launches multi-purpose desktop printer

The compact imagePrograf TC-20

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Canon India launches multi-purpose desktop printer
The imagePrograf TC-20, Canon's first desktop 4-color pigment ink large format printer with A1 plus capability.

Canon India expanded its printing portfolio with the launch of imagePrograf TC-20, its first desktop 4-color pigment ink large format printer with A1 plus capability. Keeping in mind the versatile needs of architects, the compact TC-20 supports operations from small workspaces or home-bound offices, while delivering vibrant, colorful, and quality output for big designs and blueprints.

The TC-20 also supports roll paper of up to A1 plus width and comes with a standard built-in auto sheet feeder (ASF) that enables continuous A3/A4 printing for maximum productivity. Compatible with free software and applications such as the PosterArtist, the TC-20 offers superb ease of use as with other high-end large format printers in the imagePrograf series.

Speaking on the launch, Manabu Yamazaki, president, and CEO, Canon India said, ‘’With customer needs at the core, we have been expanding our portfolio, launching specialized products in line with market trends. The hybrid working format is witnessing increased adoption across sectors, propelling growth for space-efficient superior technology equipment.

The new offering imagePrograf TC-20 is designed keeping in mind the new-age working landscape addressing varied needs of large format printing. Categorically targeting the architect community and photo studio industry, TC-20 provides users with extreme convenience operating from different locations, be it home, construction site, or compact office spaces. We are confident that the latest launch will emerge as a preferred choice enabling desired quality and productivity.”

Large-format printer with a small footprint

Featuring a space-saving design, the new TC-20 meets the large format printing needs of home offices, remote worksites, and corporate offices with its compactness. The large-format printer sits easily on desks or shelves and allows users to conveniently perform print-related operations such as loading paper, refilling ink, and replacing maintenance cartridges from the front of the printer. Equipped with a new shaftless roll holder, the TC-20 allows users unfamiliar with large format printers to replace roll paper effortlessly even in tight spaces.

High productivity, high-quality prints

The TC-20 supports up to 50 A3 or 100 A4 cut sheets with auto-switching between cut sheets and roll paper. For maximum productivity, users can load up to 100 A4 cut sheets in the standard ASF for continuous printing, and print CAD drawings or posters on A1/24-inch roll paper effortlessly from various applications. Other productivity-enhancing features include 70 ml ink bottles for all four colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black) to cater for continuous printing of technical drawings, GIS maps & posters, and an optional desktop basket3 for easy collection of prints.

Using all-color pigment ink, the TC-20 produces clear, high-quality prints with fine lines and small characters on drawings comparable to prints from high-end large format printers1. The prints do not smudge easily from highlighter marks or water spills.

Efficient printing with applications

Delivering ease of use, the TC-20 works with various free software and applications to help users work efficiently. With the PosterArtist web application, users can create their own designs from a wide selection of templates, and print marketing collateral such as posters and flyers on the TC-20 to meet different business needs. The large format printer works with free software, Direct Print Plus to help users send multiple prints in different formats such as PDF and TIFF. Users can preview the layout of files without launching the dedicated application for each file, reducing time spent and print wastage effectively.

With the Canon Print Inkjet/SELPHY application, users can check the usage of roll paper and ink via smartphones or tablets and keep the TC-20 up to date with the latest firmware. Users can also print documents stored in the cloud via Pixma Cloud Link on the application.

Sustainability in mind

As the first Canon large-format printer registered as a gold product in the field of imaging equipment products under the US ‘EPEAT’ environmental assessment system, the TC-20 conforms to strict EPEAT standards as a product with high environmental performance. This includes low power consumption of approximately 28 W during operation and approximately 1.8 W during standby and the use of more than 5% recycled plastic.

Canon India is the sales and marketing subsidiary of Canon, a leader in imaging technologies. Having started its operations in 1997, Canon India markets a comprehensive range of sophisticated contemporary digital imaging products and solutions in India. The company today has offices in 10 cities across India with warehousing facilities at 6 locations and employs over 1000 staff and over 850 channel partners.  

2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.

The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry. While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.

The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.

Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.

Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.

– Naresh Khanna

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