Komori has been pioneering digital printing system (DPS) well ahead of its competitors. As early as 1989, experimental operations of its own digital printing system were underway. With the accelerated transition from paper to electronic media in the 21st century, Komori forged strategic partnerships with industry leaders, embarking on ambitious technological innovations in DPS.

Pioneering the digital printing business

The development of CTP (Computer To Plate), which directly makes a plate from computer data, started in 1991 in collaboration with a U.S. company. The fruits of these efforts swiftly emerged, with Komori unveiling its groundbreaking fully automated CTP "PTP, Prep-To-Press" just two years later, in 1993, showcased at prominent events like IGAS, IPEX, and PRINT. Pioneering CTP, Komori became the world's first offset printing press manufacturer to venture into this realm. In the late 1990s, in partnership with a Canadian company, Komori embarked on Project D, crafting the world's sole 40-inch offset press equipped with on-press digital plate making system. This groundbreaking innovation was showcased at drupa 2000, leading to its delivery.

Subsequently, the terrorist attacks in 2001 and the global recessions triggered by financial crisis in 2008, coupled with the ascent of electronic media, underscored the need for the printing industry to adapt to the era of short run printing. This period served as a pivotal turning point for the entire industry.

Fully automated Computer
To Plate system PTP

Business alliance with Konica Minolta

Upon venturing into the digital printing system realm, Komori forged a strategic alliance with Konica Minolta. In 2011, a pivotal joint development agreement was inked with Konica Minolta Inkjet (now Konica Minolta) for B2-size inkjet sheetfed digital printing systems. Proposing a sheet transport system with a perfecting function, Komori collaborated closely with Konica Minolta, creating a groundbreaking inkjet system integrating Konica Minolta's imaging system. This product was subsequently introduced to the global market as the Impremia IS29 under Komori's brand and the KM-1 under the Konica Minolta brand.

Concurrently, Komori secured an OEM supply of high-end toner-based digital printing systems from Konica Minolta Business Technology (now Konica Minolta), launching it as the Impremia C80 series across Japan, China, Europe, and the U.S., marking the inception of its global digital printing system business.

In 2012, Komori showcased the Impremia IS29 at drupa 2012, marking a significant stride in the digital printing system landscape for commercial printing. This milestone was followed by the product's official launch at drupa 2016.

The Impremia IS29 represents a fusion of offset and digital printing technologies. Despite its inkjet nature, it achieves premium-quality printing akin to offset, even on a diverse array of offset printing papers previously deemed challenging for inkjet systems. Offering versatility in handling various items, short runs, rapid turnaround times, variable printing, and easy operation, it quickly garnered acclaim from the printing market. This innovative product earned Komori prestigious recognition, including the InterTech Technology Awards 2017 from the Printing Industries of America (PIA), underscoring its groundbreaking impact in the realm of digital printing systems.

Strategic alliance with Landa Corporation

In 2010, Landa Corporation of Israel approached Komori with a request: to collaborate on manufacturing a digital printing press slated for exhibition at drupa in Germany. Led by Benny Landa, a pioneer in digital printing often referred to as the father of the industry, Landa Corporation sought Komori's expertise in supplying the sheet transfer system for their digital printing presses. This initial collaboration laid the groundwork for a deeper relationship between the two entities.

The strategic alliance between Komori and Landa Corporation was formalized with an agreement signing ceremony at drupa 2012, hosted at the Landa booth. This alliance signifies a full-fledged partnership marked by extensive cooperation in developing digital printing presses.

At the heart of the innovation lies Landa Nanographic Printing®, a technology harnessing pigment particles at the nanoscale. This advancement enables printing with an exceptionally broad CMYK color gamut and heightened gloss. Securing the license to manufacture and market digital printing presses utilizing Landa Corporation's process for the commercial printing market marked a significant milestone for Komori's digital printing business.

Introduced in 2021, the Impremia NS40 stands as a flagship model, capable of printing B1-size sheets at an impressive speed of 6,500 sheets per hour with unparalleled precision. Leveraging RIP and inkjet printhead technology developed by Landa Corporation, coupled with Komori's proprietary coater device, perfecting device, and precision color control technology, it showcases formidable production capacity. This powerhouse demonstrates exceptional capability in efficiently printing short runs of diverse items, including packages and displays, with swift delivery turnaround.

At the 2022 Tokyo Camera Club Photo Exhibition, Komori made a striking debut with a monumental B1 quadruple-size artwork, a fusion of a 400 million-pixel photograph spanning four B1-size sheets. This creation showcased the unparalleled vividness and depth of color rendition achievable through digital printing technology, earning widespread acclaim. Its remarkable presentation ignited anticipation for its transformative potential within the realm of the arts.

J-throne 29: The Next-Generation Digital Printing Press

Building on this legacy of technological innovation, the J-throne 29 was developed to carry Komori's expertise into the next generation. Combining tradition with innovation, the press is designed to help shape the future of the printing industry. As of 2025, the J-throne 29 has already been introduced to the market and is delivering new possibilities for print production.