Canon highlights inkjet and India-focused products at Pamex

At Pamex 2026, Canon is showcasing a wide spectrum of production systems, from entry-level A3 mono and colour printers to high-speed colour production presses. According to Puneet Datta, senior director, Canon, the company is also launching its next-generation mono production machines at the show. “These machines run at 86 bpm and above, and the speciality is that they can handle coated media, which is critical for many print service providers,” he said.

27 Jan 2026 | By Sai Deepthi P

Puneet Datta of Canon at Pamex 2026

Datta pointed to structural shifts in the Indian market. “Post-Covid, there’s been a clear move towards smaller cities. Penetration is deeper, but market sizes are smaller, which creates challenges for sales and service.” Diversification is also accelerating, with commercial printers moving into books, labels, photo books and packaging.

By volume, light production colour machines remain the most in-demand segment in India. “That market is growing at double-digit rates, which is a healthy sign.” Looking ahead to 2026, Canon’s priorities include strengthening its sales and service go-to-market strategy and introducing products tailored specifically for Indian conditions.

A spokesperson at Canon also mentioned that the market is currently at a “confused state” as commercial printers are overly diversifying into providing book printing and packaging solutions. This means that the demand is more towards all-in-one machines that give a close competition to the offset presses. Here the challenge for OEMs becomes two-fold: producing machines which can do everything from label printing to ID cards. But one thing is certain, there is a growing market in the industry for inkjet printers and digital printing.

Datta identified macroeconomic uncertainty as the biggest risk. “We’re in a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) world. Tariffs, currency fluctuations and the fact that most machines are imported are major challenges.” He also highlighted the industry’s dependence on broader economic indicators. “Print-for-pay businesses rely on economic growth to invest back into equipment.”

On policy expectations, Datta noted that the printing industry still lacks formal recognition. “The government’s focus on MSMEs indirectly benefits us, and further strengthening of that segment would be positive for the entire industry.”

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