“We Remain Hopeful for A Market Recovery and An Increase in Order Volumes”
Interview: Dilek HAYIRLI
Enrico Verga, InkJet Textile Director at Konica Minolta Italia, stated, “Although it is clear that consumer habits have changed and the era of hyper-consumerism is fading, we remain hopeful for a market recovery and an increase in order volumes.”
The textile industry is undergoing a rapid transformation. As a pioneer of this change, Konica Minolta is developing technologies that enhance both quality and sustainability in digital printing. The company’s innovative solutions simplify production processes while minimizing energy and resource consumption, and at the same time, support the creativity of designers. Konica Minolta Italia’s InkJet Textile Director Enrico Verga, whom we interviewed for our Tekstil Teknoloji magazine said; “Over the next 5–10 years, our goal is to strengthen our leadership in digital textile printing through continuous R&D investment, strategic partnerships, and advanced automation and AI-driven solutions. While the global market remains complex and variable, we are confident that our long-term vision — centered on innovation, sustainability, and close partnership with customers — will drive further growth and reinforce Konica Minolta’s position as a trusted technology leader in the textile industry.”
What “game-changing” trends do you see in the development of digital textile printing technologies over the next 5–10 years? To what extent will technologies like artificial intelligence, automation, and data analytics be integrated into the printing process? What role do these technologies play in Konica Minolta’s solutions?
At Konica Minolta, our mission is to digitalize the textile industry and make printing more sustainable. Through continuous innovation and eco-friendly solutions, we strive to reduce the environmental impact of textile production while meeting the industry’s high standards. Our R&D teams are developing advanced inks and technologies designed to simplify and optimize the printing process, minimizing the number of steps required today. In parallel, we are integrating artificial intelligence to enable real-time fabric composition recognition — a key step toward supporting a true circular economy.
“In-Line Pretreatment Technology Reduces Costs by Minimizing Fabric Inventory”
In-Line Pretreatment technology in digital printing machines eliminates the need for pretreatment. How has this radical innovation impacted the industry’s supply chain and workforce structure? Can you provide concrete examples of the advantages of this technology, based on feedback you’ve received from customers?
The introduction of in-line pretreatment technology, fully aligned with our company philosophy, has enabled users to significantly reduce production times and, consequently, lower costs through reduced energy consumption and minimized fabric storage. This innovation has made our customers more competitive and efficient across their operations. While the benefits for the industry are substantial, it’s important to note that this is not a plug-and-play solution — it requires specific technical skills and expertise from operators to fully leverage its potential.
Sustainability is now on the agenda of many companies. What distinguishes Konica Minolta’s approach? How are sustainable production and environmentally friendly technologies integrated into Konica Minolta’s product development processes?
Sustainability has always been at the core of Konica Minolta’s vision. What distinguishes our approach is the integration of environmental responsibility throughout every stage of product development — from the design and choice of materials to production and end-of-life management. Our goal is to provide digital printing solutions that not only deliver high-quality results but also reduce energy consumption, water usage, and waste. By continuously improving our processes and promoting eco-sustainable technologies, we aim to support our customers in achieving both productivity and environmental goals.
What design or product development advantages, beyond sustainability, do Konica Minolta’s water-based pigment inks, one of its innovations, offer? How is feedback from fashion and textile designers integrated into the product development process for new ink formulations?
Konica Minolta’s water-based pigment inks offer significant advantages that go well beyond sustainability. They ensure excellent color vibrancy, superior fastness, and outstanding versatility across a wide range of fabrics — all while simplifying the production workflow. These features allow designers and manufacturers to achieve high-quality results with greater flexibility and consistency. Feedback from fashion and textile designers has been extremely positive, as pigment is the only type of ink that can significantly reduce the overall printing process. However, it is essential that users adapt their production methods to the technological characteristics and limitations of pigment inks in order to fully benefit from their potential.
Beyond the “less wastewater” goal, how do you develop innovative solutions in water consumption, energy efficiency, waste management, and chemical recycling?
At Konica Minolta, we approach sustainability as a continuous process of innovation. Beyond reducing wastewater, we are developing technologies that improve energy efficiency, minimize waste generation, and promote chemical recycling within the production cycle. Our R&D efforts focus on optimizing every resource involved in the printing process — from inks to energy usage — with the goal of closing the loop and advancing a true circular economy. By doing so, we not only reduce environmental impact but also help our customers operate more efficiently and responsibly.
“We Continue to Invest in New Technologies and Technical Support”
How does Konica Minolta position itself globally and in the Turkish market? What are your main strategic goals for the next 5-10 years? What is the strategic motivation behind increasing your technical service investments in the Turkish market?
Konica Minolta is positioned globally as a trusted technology partner driving the digital transformation of the textile industry. Our strategy is to continue expanding our presence in key markets while promoting innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions. Over the next 5–10 years, our goal is to strengthen our leadership in digital textile printing through continuous R&D investment, strategic partnerships, and advanced automation and AI-driven solutions. In the Turkish market, we recognize that the current situation is particularly challenging, especially for companies operating in the fast fashion segment, where a noticeable decline in orders has been observed. Despite these difficulties, we continue to invest in new technologies and technical support because we firmly believe this is the key to helping our customers remain competitive and resilient in a changing industry.
What is the outlook for Konica Minolta in 2026? Could you provide information about your sales and orders? Do you have any new product development or investment projects planned for 2026?
Looking ahead to 2026, Konica Minolta is committed to consolidating its role as a key innovator in digital textile printing. Our focus will be on expanding our presence with solutions designed to enhance efficiency, quality, and sustainability across the entire textile value chain. Several R&D and investment projects are already underway, including advancements in ink technology, automation, and integrated workflow systems. Although it is clear that consumer habits have changed and the era of hyper-consumerism is fading, we remain hopeful for a market recovery and an increase in order volumes. While the global market remains complex and variable, we are confident that our long-term vision — centered on innovation, sustainability, and close partnership with customers — will drive further growth and reinforce Konica Minolta’s position as a trusted technology leader in the textile industry.
