Konica Minolta Business Solutions has entered into a strategic partnership with Connect Print, a Reading-based consultancy-led print solutions provider founded by Warren Beard, Paul Stead and Jason Bryant.
The partnership brings together Konica Minolta’s production print technologies with Connect Print’s expertise in solution design, commercial modelling and customer management. The Connect Print leadership team has more than 75 years of combined industry experience and has built its approach around four pillars: technology, futures, service and support, and a commercial proposition focused on long-term customer value.
Through the agreement, Connect Print will have access to Konica Minolta’s portfolio spanning digital cut-sheet and fifth-colour systems, industrial print, label production, inkjet, High Chroma, MGI digital embellishment technologies and in-line finishing solutions. This is expected to support a broader range of applications, including commercial print, direct mail, transactional work and environments transitioning from litho or underperforming digital setups.
The partnership also provides Connect Print with access to Konica Minolta’s nationwide service infrastructure and specialist teams across labels, embellishment, inline finishing and production workflow, enabling it to take on more complex customer requirements.
Warren Beard, managing director of Connect Print, said: “The message is simple, this partnership strengthens our ability to deliver reliable, commercially sound solutions, without changing who we are. We remain independent in our recommendations, focused on ROI, and fully accountable for the outcomes we deliver. Working with Konica Minolta just means we now have even more depth and capability behind us to support our customers long term.”
The agreement builds on existing relationships between the two organisations, with teams having worked together across the industry for more than 20 years.
Jon Hiscock, head of Production and Industrial Print at Konica Minolta Business Solutions, added: “Connect Print brings an exceptional level of experience, credibility and customer understanding to the market. Their consultative approach, combined with our production portfolio and service capability, creates a powerful proposition for organisations across commercial print, public sector and corporate print rooms. We are delighted to welcome them as a partner.”
Connect Print expects the partnership to support its growth in production environments such as labels, MGI embellishment and inkjet systems. Both companies also plan to collaborate on joint events, customer engagement programmes and market development initiatives during 2026.
