Although Senior Manager Chao Po Ying is a second-generation leader in the printing industry, his background is in industrial design, an entirely different field. As a result, he spent much time communicating with employees but often struggled to achieve understanding. As the industry moves toward digitalization and smart manufacturing, Global Ace needed a transformation to become a printing company that achieves "standardization" and "digital management."

At that moment, a single comment from Printing Supervisor Chou Yi De provided a significant push forward. "If we want to become the world's most standardized printing company, this is what we must do."

Around the same time, Komori Taiwan Limited was promoting KP-Connect, a cloud-based print management system. Senior Manager Chao quickly decided to implement KP-Connect, integrating KP-Connect into the Lithrone G40 and launching a comprehensive transformation -- from operator training to company-wide adoption. This was not merely an operational reform but also a revolution in mindset and management style.

Manager's perspective: driven by data and visible improvement

Chao decided to introduce KP-Connect after realizing the limitations of paper-based daily reports. Because they couldn't monitor on-site conditions or issues in real time, their analysis was always reactive rather than proactive.

However, after the introduction of KP-Connect, the system automatically recorded operating data, enabling managers to grasp the status of the printing presses immediately and accurately.

"It's like having a black box for the press -- every operational trace is recorded. That's the biggest change," Chao explains.

There was some internal resistance at first. Some employees felt burdened by the new system or doubted the accuracy of its data. Chao patiently emphasized that KP-Connect was "a tool for improvement, not surveillance," and worked to win their understanding.

As a result, the tone of the meetings changed. What was once discussion based on intuition is now driven by objective data. Meetings have evolved from blame sessions to productive discussions that identify challenges and develop solutions.

From a management perspective, KP-Connect goes beyond mere efficiency improvements, playing a key role in establishing reproducible standardized processes. Global Ace believes it will also make a significant contribution to future expansion, training of new employees, and cross-departmental collaboration.

Evolution in on-site management: making improvement a daily habit

Printing Supervisor Chou points out that one of the key benefits of the implementation is "being able to grasp what's happening on site without being there."

Errors and downtime reasons are now automatically collected and visualized, making it easy to identify which issues should be prioritized.

"We used to run about 10-12 jobs a day. Now, after continuous improvement using KP-Connect, we can process 15 jobs per day -- a productivity increase of about 20 percent," says Chou.

Even more impressive is the team's newfound initiative and competitive spirit. Every quarter, Global Ace participates in online improvement meetings with Komori's Head Office in Japan, benchmarking its performance against other companies worldwide. This healthy competition motivates employees to aim higher.

Initial hesitation on the shop floor gradually gave way to a more positive attitude as operators experienced smoother workflows. Requests to Komori have also shifted from passive to proactive, fostering a relationship where improvement itself has become a source of satisfaction for both Global Ace and Komori."

Operator's perspective: KP-Connect as a trusted tutor

Lead Press Operator Peng Chen Yu felt that "having more buttons to press was a hassle." However, his perception changed once he was able to explain situations in meetings backed by concrete data.

"KP-Connect is like a personal tutor for the pressroom. It doesn't just record and analyze -- it provides a foundation for meaningful discussion."

One notable improvement was achieved after advice from Komori Japan's Shiraishi, who helped optimize KHS-AI settings. This led to significant improvements in ink accuracy and printing speed. "We were able to eliminate unnecessary trial and error, and it gave us a greater sense of accomplishment," he says.

For Lead Press Operator Peng, KP-Connect is more than a tool -- it's a learning platform that supports operators' professional growth.

Collaboration with Komori: from supplier to co-creation partner

From installation to improvement proposals, Komori's teams in Taiwan and Japan provided prompt and hands-on support. In particular, during the quarterly improvement meetings, the focus was not merely on solving problems: comprehensive solutions tailored to Global Ace were proposed by sharing global case studies and comparing data.

Chou reflects, "We used to be passive, but now we actively request improvements. This marks a shift in our relationship and the establishment of mutual trust."

From efficiency improvement to cultural transformation

Global Ace's adoption of KP-Connect has done more than upgrade systems -- it has sparked a cultural transformation. Changes emerged at every level -- from management strategy to on-site improvements and operator growth -- leading to a redefinition of both efficiency and team values.

This collaboration goes beyond a supplier-customer relationship and has evolved into a true partnership. Although Global Ace is a traditional printing company, it has consistently embraced "challenges beyond tradition." Its goal is not only adopting new technologies but also carrying forward the warmth and beauty of paper culture in the digital era, elevating print into a refined experience. This mindset is a testament to its growth and innovation in partnership with Komori.