Océ and Canon keep investing

Océ, a Canon Company, continues to invest in commercial printing, as seen in the Annual Report 2017 submitted to the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Océ Holding B.V. is the holding company for the Océ-entities containing the research and development, manufacturing, business units and support functions, located in Venlo, The Netherlands. Canon, the Japanese parent company supports this strategy for growth and plans to invest heavily in research and development in the coming years.

The figures in the Annual Report refer only to the results of Océ Holding B.V. and do not reflect the total results of Océ, which are consolidated into Canon.  Revenues in 2017 were €751 million (2016: € 732 million), an increase of 2.6%. Operating income in 2017 was – € 9.5 million (2016: – € 60 million). In 2017, there were several activities to improve the performance of the company. This resulted in an increased performance in gross margin of 3% (2017: 36% / 2016: 33%). The operating cash flow was lower due to an impairment on the Canon Finance B.V. receivable related to a tax valuation allowance.

To keep up with rapid developments in the market, Océ remains focused on inkjet technology, investing more than €160 million in research and development annually. In 2017, Océ introduced the Océ ProStream 1000 (a high-volume inkjet printer) and the Océ Colorado 1640, the company’s first roll-to-roll machine with its own developed UVgel inkjet technology. These machines will enable Océ to gain a position in the graphic arts market.

Investment mode

Océ and Canon plan to keep investing heavily in the upcoming years to maintain their leading position in the growing digital commercial printing market. To underline the importance of Océ business within the Canon Group and to enable Océ to continue to deliver on its strategic agenda, Océ has started the construction of a new corporate headquarters and ink factory in Venlo in 2018.