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Canon Enhances Productivity and Performance of Arizona 1300 Series of Flatbed Printers with Addition of FLXflow Technology

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Canon

FLXflow comes with three functionalities – Hold, Float and Instant Switch – allowing users to move heavier and irregular-sized media faster and more easily around the table

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 7, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) today announces the addition of its FLXflow technology to the Arizona 1300 series, which brings new productivity and performance features to the flatbed printer series. Previously known as FLOW technology, the new FLXflow offers not only the original ‘Hold’ functionality, which helps to hold media on the zoneless flatbed table, but also the new optional ‘Float’ and ‘Instant Switch’ functionalities to improve media handling. With over 8,000 installations worldwide, Arizona users can now benefit from enhanced productivity, ease of use and application versatility thanks to FLXflow.

Optimised productivity

Catering to growing mid-volume operations, the Arizona 1300 FLXflow supports a wide variety of substrates and applications. This enables large format graphics printers and other print service providers (PSPs), to efficiently offer customers a wide range of applications for the retail, interior décor, packaging, and industrial market segments.

Offering a patented way not only to hold but also to float the media, FLXflow comes with three functionalities – Hold, Float and Instant Switch – allowing users to move heavier and irregular-sized media faster and more easily around the table. The Hold functionality, a feature of the original FLOW technology, works by keeping the media in place with a patented airflow technique. Using automatic measurement and adjustment of airflow levels to firmly and accurately hold various types of media in place, the functionality results in flexible positioning with far less masking.

The new Float functionality pushes air from the table upwards to create a cushion, enabling the easy positioning of heavy or challenging substrates and reducing the risk of media damage or waste. It also results in the smoother registration of all types of media, with a ‘floating without drifting’ ability enabling several pieces of media to be precisely positioned at the same time. The Instant Switch functionality allows the operator to easily change from Hold to Float by using the foot pedal(s) for simple operability of the printer, making it easy to remove media from the table.

Enhanced flexibility

Arizona 1300 FLXflow customers can also take advantage of the Advanced Image Layout Controls, which allow last-minute adjustments at the printer. This includes snap and align image to media, auto-trimming, nesting, batching of complex jobs, step and repeat, pitch setting, mirroring and re-assignment of print modes, giving additional flexibility when positioning substrates on the table and reducing waste of expensive materials. Productivity is further enhanced by PRISMAservice support tools, which provide predictive maintenance and facilitate authorised remote assistance by qualified service technicians to increase uptime.

In-field upgradability

Our FLXflow technology makes life much easier for operators to handle irregular or heavy substrates, opening up opportunities to produce an even wider range of applications

Customers of the current Arizona 1300 series with FLOW technology can upgrade their printer to the latest version with FLXflow technology, including the optional Float and Instant Switch functionalities. Upgrades also include features like the Advanced Image Layout Controls. They can also add PRISMA XL Suite workflow software to provide a preview function even for complex, multi-layered, textured jobs. PRISMA XL provides cost estimates and enables users to see what the final product will look like before it’s printed while allowing them to make any necessary adjustments. The in-field upgradability is part of Canon’s modular approach to its technology and software solutions, allowing users to access the latest available features, without needing to reinvest in new devices, extending the product lifecycle.

Customers can also benefit from the optional proCARE after-sales service program, which assures the highest uptime by offering predictable costs for maintenance and spare parts, preventive maintenance, remote support and fast response times. Additionally, all Arizona printers come with a Manufacturer’s Warranty of one year, and an optional Arizona extended warranty programme is available for 3, 4, or 5 years.

Mathew Faulkner, Director, Marketing & Innovation, Wide Format Printing Group, Canon EMEA says: “At Canon, we’re focused on the continuous development of our portfolio by working closely with the market and our customers to evolve our products, from our printer ranges to the software that supports them. With that in mind, we’re now extending the FLXflow technology from the Arizona 2300 series, announced in March this year, to the Arizona 1300 series, giving even more of our customers the capability to be more versatile and deliver high-quality applications with even greater workflow efficiency and productivity. And with its added ‘Float’ capability, our FLXflow technology makes life much easier for operators to handle irregular or heavy substrates, opening up opportunities to produce an even wider range of applications.”

Elevated and textured printing for endless creativity

Available with the Arizona 1300 FLXflow is PRISMAelevate XL, which enables layered printing up to a height of 4 mm (0.157”) to help customers create stand-out, tactile artwork for elevated print applications that enhance and expand their product offering. It enables customers to explore new applications, such as high-value, textured, permanent signage, product decoration, awards, décor materials and package prototyping, as well as applications for the visually impaired.

Designed with sustainability in mind

Offering reduced waste and lower energy consumption than its predecessors, the Arizona 1300 FLXflow has been designed with sustainability in mind. FLXflow technology requires less masking and underlays to hold media in place, resulting in less waste. As LED-UV printers, the series also consumes at least 15% less energy compared with its UV-halide predecessors and offers power-saving features such as first-time-right printing and instant-on functionality. Its inks are UL. GREENGUARD Gold certified, which ensures prints are safe for use in sensitive environments such as hospitals, schools and other public places.

Customers can also take advantage of Canon’s remanufacturing programme, where they can trade in their Arizona printers when purchasing a replacement. Returned systems are inspected, serviced and prepared for sale as refurbished printers, further extending the lifespan of the Arizona.

The Arizona 1300 FLXflow (https://apo-opa.co/3zDVKRP) is available immediately via accredited partners as well as from Canon’s direct sales organisations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

Energy

Mauritania’s New Energy and Petroleum Minister Confirmed for MSGBC 2026

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Etu Energias

Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah takes office as Mauritania opens power generation to private investors

DAKAR, Senegal, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah, Mauritania’s newly appointed Minister of Energy and Petroleum, has confirmed his participation at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 in Dakar. Minister Vetah was appointed on October 10 in a new 29-member government, having previously served as Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines from 2016 to 2020. His participation at the upcoming summit offers delegates direct engagement with the official responsible for Mauritania’s gas and power agenda as the country seeks to attract capital across its evolving energy and hydrocarbon sectors

 




  

Minister Vetah joins the event as Mauritania enters a new investment cycle anchored by efforts to scale gas monetization, incentivize exploration and open new opportunities in renewable energy and power development. The country has been an LNG exporter since early 2025, when the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, developed jointly with Senegal, shipped its first cargo. The project is now operating at full capacity, and gas is also set to anchor domestic power supply, with national utility Somelec and state miner SNIM having signed power purchase agreements with Saudi Arabia’s TAQA and Egypt’s GoGas Holding. The agreements fit within a gas-to-power program tied to the country’s Banda field and targeted for 2028.

 

Mauritania has committed to a fully private power generation model in which independent power producers develop all new plants, with two gas-fired projects in development expected to add a combined 550 MW to the grid. Renewables are scaling in parallel, led by a 220 MW solar-wind plant with 370 MWh of battery storage, developed under a 15-year concession with Somelec and slated to begin commercial production in the final quarter of 2026.

 

Minister Vetah’s career spans Mauritania’s gas sector and regional energy cooperation. During his previous term, Mauritania and Senegal signed the GTA gas sales agreement with bp and Kosmos Energy in 2020, and before entering government he served as General Manager of state gas company SOMAGAZ and as a consultant to TotalEnergies E&P Mauritania. Most recently, he spent nearly four years as High Commissioner of the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River.

 

Regional cooperation has been an early priority for the minister, who was received in Dakar by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on October 16 and reaffirmed his commitment to cooperation between the two countries. At MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026, Minister Vetah will speak during the event’s Ministerial Dialogue, titled ‘Executing the MSGBC Region’s Energy Strategy’ and the Mauritania National Spotlight.

Organized by Energy Capital & Power, MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 takes place December 1-3 at the Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf (CICAD) in Dakar under the High Patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. For more information and registration, visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com.

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

 




 

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DHL Global Forwarding Appoints Sascha Geiken as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Sub-Saharan Africa

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DHL Global Forwarding and MEDS sign strategic MoU to strengthen logistics and improve access to pharmaceutical products across East Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, November 10, 2026/APO Group/ –DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of DHL Group, has appointed Sascha Geiken as CEO for Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, effective. He succeeds Egidio Monteiro and will report to Tobias Maier, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa.

 




  

Sascha Geiken previously served as Vice President Ocean Freight for Middle East and Africa at DHL Global Forwarding. He brings more than 30 years of experience in freight forwarding, having started his career in the industry in 1995. Before joining DHL Global Forwarding, he held senior leadership positions in the Middle East, including managing director roles covering several markets in the region.

Sascha knows our business and he knows this region

During his time leading Ocean Freight across Middle East and Africa, Sascha Geiken has gained extensive experience managing freight flows across a diverse and complex region. His current remit includes global trade, ocean freight trends and services, rates, capacity and trade-lane development, as well as sustainable transport. He has also worked closely on the changing trade flows connecting Africa with Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Tobias Maier, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa, said: “Sascha knows our business and he knows this region. He has spent many years working across complex markets and understands what it takes to turn growing trade flows into reliable solutions for our customers. Sub-Saharan Africa is an important growth market for us, but it is also a market where strong local execution really matters. I am very pleased to have Sascha take on this responsibility, and I am confident he will continue to move our business forward together with our teams across the region.”

On his appointment, Sascha Geiken said: “I’m very happy to take on this new role. Having worked across Middle East and Africa for many years, I know both the opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa and the realities of moving goods across the region. Trade is growing, but our customers need more than capacity. They need reliability across the entire supply chain, from the international leg through customs and inland transport to final delivery. I look forward to working with our teams across the region and building on what is already a very strong foundation.”

The appointment comes as DHL continues to invest in the long-term growth of its business in Africa. In 2025, DHL Group announced an investment of more than €300 million in Sub-Saharan Africa to expand infrastructure and services across DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DHL.

 

 




 

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CEM & Converge Africa bring CX and digital commerce leaders together in Sandton

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Two connected event experiences will bring senior customer experience, retail, ecommerce, marketing, technology and transformation leaders together on 10–11 November 2026, with the CEM Africa Awards taking place on the evening of 10 November

Together, the programmes give senior leaders practical insight they can take back into the business

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –CEM Johannesburg Edition returns to the NH Hotel in Sandton on 10–11 November 2026, alongside Converge Africa Johannesburg on 10 November, creating a concentrated meeting point for leaders shaping customer experience and digital commerce across Africa.

 




  

Across the combined programme, delegates will move between practical workshops, peer-led panels, curated networking and business matchmaking focused on the issues now influencing customer and commercial performance: AI and automation, trust, behavioural insight, journey design, retail media, unified commerce, fulfilment, loyalty, retention and measurable business outcomes.

The co-location gives attendees access to two complementary communities. CEM Johannesburg Edition focuses on customer experience strategy, service, technology and transformation, while Converge Africa Johannesburg brings a sharper retail and digital commerce lens to how customers discover, buy, receive, return and remain loyal.

Programme highlights:

  • The Trust Problem: Can Customers Trust an Experience They Can’t See?
  • Designing for How Customers Feel
  • Authenticity in AI: From Conversation to Completion Without Losing the Human Touch
  • The Customer Doesn’t See Your Org Chart: Why Marketing & CX Must Collaborate
  • From Contact Centre to Experience Centre: The Human + AI Workforce
  • Retail Is Being Rewritten: The New Rules of How Consumers Discover, Shop & Belong
  • Retail Media: Turning Customer Attention Into a New Revenue Stream
  • Unified Commerce: One Customer, One Stock Pool, One Connected Experience
  • Black Friday From Discovery to Doorstep: Can Retail Deliver on the Customer Promise?
  • AI That Actually Works: From Retail Hype to Measurable Results
  • Loyalty, Retention & the Post-Purchase Experience: From Transaction to Lifetime Value

Day two of CEM Johannesburg Edition continues the discussion with sessions examining how Africa’s best brands turn CX into trust, loyalty and growth, the changing future customer, experience intelligence, and how WhatsApp can move beyond conversation to completed customer outcomes.

Confirmed voices from across CX, retail and digital commerce

The programme brings together senior practitioners, consultants and technology leaders from across the customer and commerce ecosystem. Confirmed speakers and workshop leaders include:

  • Gedeon Rossouw – Head of Client Care (Principal/Director), Absa
  • Tatiana Ndlovu – Executive Head: Marketing, Nedbank Africa Regions
  • Julia Ahlfeldt – Customer Experience Strategist and Business Advisor, Julia Ahlfeldt CX
  • Debi Potgieter – CEO & Founder, XMwize Solutions
  • Joven Pillay – EMEA Customer Consulting Leader, KPMG South Africa
  • Christopher Baird – Head of Ecommerce (Southern Hemisphere), G-STAR
  • Adrian Naidoo – Senior HOD: Commercial, Retail Media, Data & Innovation, Boxer Superstores
  • Keanu Batista – Head of E-Commerce South Africa, Pernod Ricard
  • Kieara Hyman – Head of Commerce & Retail, Publicis
  • Kerry Ho-Van Rensburg – Head of Digital Marketing Operations, Pick n Pay
  • Nneka Keshi – Country Director & Africa Lead, Canva
  • Yudhvir Ranchod – Marketing Director, Peach Payments
  • Prathna Singh – Global Retail and South Africa Lead, Intent HQ

Sponsors and programme partners

CEM Johannesburg Edition sponsors:

  • Gold sponsors 1Stream, Cisco, KPMG and Microsoft
  • Silver sponsors Clickatell, QuestionPro, NPLUS, SingleInterface and Zoom
  • Innovation Sponsor XMwize Solutions
  • CX Report Sponsor Rogerwilco
  • Workshop Sponsor Smoke

Converge Africa Johannesburg programme partners: The Courier Guy features as a Diamond Sponsor and workshop partner, with DigiCommerce and Instore24 leading dedicated programme sessions focused on unified commerce and converting digital discovery into measurable in-store growth.

CEM Africa Awards to recognise Africa’s CX leaders

The CEM Africa Awards will take place on the evening of 10 November 2026 at the NH Hotel, Sandton. The 2026 awards programme has attracted 97 entries and 31 finalists, with eight awards spanning four pillars of customer excellence: People, Innovation, Transformation and Government.

Award categories include: CX Leader of the Year; Breaking Barriers in CX; Rising Star in CX; Best Overall CX Solution; Best Use of AI; Best Enterprise Contact Centre Platform; Best Customer Experience Team of the Year; Best Digital Transformation in Public Services; and Best Citizen Experience Initiative.

Among the 2026 finalists publicly announced are Rowland Ndegwa of Jubilee Insurance in the Rising Star in CX category, while LAW FOR ALL, MTN Nigeria, Equity Holdings Group and Clientèle are among the finalists for Best Customer Experience Team of the Year.

“Johannesburg brings together two communities that increasingly need to solve the same customer problem from different angles. CEM Johannesburg Edition looks at the experience, service and transformation agenda, while Converge Africa examines the commercial and operational realities of modern retail and ecommerce. Together, the programmes give senior leaders practical insight they can take back into the business.”

Terry Southam – Director Retail Portfolio

Event information

CEM Johannesburg Edition: 10–11 November 2026 | NH Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/48Jo1UK)

CEM Johannesburg Edition live programme: View the full  agenda — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/4ix4v3N)

Converge Africa Johannesburg: 10 November 2026 | NH Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/4j6LLrS)

CEM Africa Awards: 10 November 2026 | NH Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/4zdIJqO)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 

 




 

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