Connect with us

Business

Innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions for startups on the Epson stand at GITEX Africa

Published

3 years ago

on

Epson

Epson innovates products to enable time saving, energy saving, cost saving and the reduction of a business’s carbon footprint

CASABLANCA, Morocco, May 29, 2023/APO Group/ — 

At the opening of GITEX Africa (www.GITEXAfrica.com), the long-awaited technology event, Epson is on hand with a range of high-performance products, specifically designed for small businesses and startups, offering them reliability, mobility and durability to help them gain in productivity and competitiveness.

In recent years, the business landscape has been rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in technology and increasing environmental awareness. Startup businesses in Morocco, but also the wider North African region, have become crucial to the growth of the economy.

According to a recent study conducted by Statista in the North African region, startup businesses are on the rise. Morocco has registered 61,000 new businesses, with 18,000 for Tunisia and 14,000 for Algeria during 2023 alone. This data is encouraging as startups are a key factor in growing economies.

Technology products have become essential tools for businesses, enabling them to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and stay competitive in the market. Additionally, sustainability has emerged as a critical consideration for businesses, as they seek to minimise their environmental impact and align with sustainable practices.

By conducting a survey[1] with Averty Market Research and Intelligence, Epson aimed to understand the specific needs, challenges, and priorities of startup businesses, to better deliver products and solutions that address their evolving requirements, while promoting sustainability.

The study revealed that a large majority of these startups (85%) consider technology to be crucial to the creation and operation of their business. When asked about the importance of sustainability considerations in technology products, an overwhelming 82% of the startups saw energy saving as being important to their business, with two thirds (65%) also classing environmental protection as a key area of concern.

Of course money saving was also important, through procurement savings (68%)and maintenance cost savings (65%) but the most important factor for these startup businesses was saving time (85%). This makes sense considering the effort needed to start a business and the necessity to make every moment count.

Indeed, these results reflect a high degree of maturity on the part of the startups surveyed, who have measured the importance of technology in their development strategy, as well as the benefits of technology acquisition to the success of their business.

Helping other companies and individuals to achieve their goals through the support of technology, Epson innovates products to enable time saving, energy saving, cost saving and the reduction of a business’s carbon footprint.

Epson will be exhibiting a whole range of products and solutions tailored to the needs of startup businesses at GITEX Africa and are proud to be involved in the GITEX Africa Supernova Pitch competition, supporting the winning entries with tailored Epson technology solutions.

EcoTank printers

Epson EcoTank is a cartridge free print solution. Up to 3 years’ worth of ink is included so for businesses conscious of their environmental impact, EcoTanks are a great choice as one ink bottle is equivalent to 79 ink cartridges, saving on plastic waste. From the start you have enough ink to print up to 14,000 pages. That means both money and time are saved as you’re not frequently changing cartridges. The setup is simple, refilling is mess free and it’s reliable too, turning out page after page of quality prints. Epson is the number one ink tank vendor globally selling over 80 million EcoTanks worldwide.

Mobile point of sale printers is ideal for environments where fast, simple and reliable receipt printing is essential

Label printing

Various in-house labeling solutions will be available on the Epson stand at GITEX Africa. By moving labeling in-house, it allows businesses flexibility – being able to produce labels on demand. On top of this it means a reduction in wastage as there is no minimum quantity, as often applies when shipping labels in from a third party. This also reduces a company’s carbon footprint as labels do not need to be shipped or stored.

Mobile POS solutions

Mobile point of sale printers is ideal for environments where fast, simple and reliable receipt printing is essential. They offer the perfect combination of mobility, connectivity, reliability and ease of use. They are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of growing businesses without limiting opportunity based on location, for instance businesses can function from food trucks or even market places.

Fabric printers

Epson offers various Direct to Garment (DTG) solutions, ideal for printing t-shirts, polo shirts, tote bags and other fabric items. This means faster, higher quality printing, with reduced intervention and the ability to flexibly create your own designs.

Compact photo printer

The SureLab SL-D1000 Series of compact photo printers offer duplex capability for flexible commercial production. The series has been developed for photo shops, professional photographers and businesses that need to print high-quality photos and offer customers a wide range of products, including personalised photo books, cards and calendars. Businesses that could benefit include: photography retail, event and photo box, stationery, hotels, cafés, bars and restaurants.

WorkForce Enterprise AM-C4000

Epson’s new Workforce Enterprise AM Series inkjets are about efficient, sustainable, and heat-free printing. Leveraging Epson’s Heat-Free technology, the new Workforce Enterprise AM-Series completes Epson’s business print portfolio. The new range provides print speeds of 40-60ppm, complementing the Epson business inkjet line-up.

With a compact footprint and lightweight design, the products help limit resources used during production and shipping. High yield ink cartridge s also reduces material usage, shipping, storage and end of use management of consumables, as well as reducing downtime for routine maintenance.

Business inkjet printing can save up to 90% in energy consumption compared with laser printers.

[1]Research conducted by Averty Market Research & Intelligence on behalf of Epson Europe. 600 new business owners across Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were interviewed in May 2023.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GITEX Africa.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Business

Carbon, water and grid investment move to the centre of Africa’s business resilience agenda

Published

12 hours ago

on

September 24, 2026

By

A new series of VUKA Group webinars will bring industry experts together to examine these challenges and the practical decisions organisations need to make

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 24, 2026/APO Group/ –Commercial and industrial businesses, utilities and investors across Africa are being forced to confront three increasingly connected challenges: credible decarbonisation, water security and the infrastructure required to support reliable power systems.

A new series of VUKA Group webinars will bring industry experts together to examine these challenges and the practical decisions organisations need to make.

 




 
Commercial and industrial compliance in the spotlight

On 29 September 2026 at 13:00 SAST, Carbon, compliance and credible energy claims: What C&I customers must get right will explore how commercial and industrial energy users can align renewable energy procurement with carbon accounting standards and evolving reporting obligations.

The discussion will examine the evidence required to substantiate renewable electricity claims, the role of Renewable Energy Certificates in Scope 2 reporting, the implications of mechanisms such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and how organisations can reduce greenwashing risk while strengthening emissions reporting.

Speakers include Sanelisiwe Mdlalose, Hulamin; Hendrick Raedani, City of Ekurhuleni; and Duane Newman, EY.

Register for the carbon compliance webinar: https://apo-opa.co/4AtqRKf

These issues will continue at the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Johannesburg, 28–29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, where energy procurement, carbon taxes, renewable integration, storage, market reform and industrial resilience form part of the programme.

Find out more about the Summit: https://apo-opa.co/4xMkZsR

Strategy for African water resilience

Water resilience takes centre stage on 30 September 2026 at 14:00 SAST with From water risk to water resilience: How South Africa’s water-intensive industries are securing their future.

The webinar will examine how businesses are responding to ageing infrastructure, supply uncertainty, rising costs and sustainability pressures by improving efficiency, diversifying water sources and investing in reuse, recycling and smarter water management.

The webinar line-up includes Benoit Le Roy, South African Water Chamber NPC; Nsuku Chankira, Thungela; Molatelo Motau, Heineken Beverages; Marilyn Maduka, Credew Limited; and Philindile Mahlangu from Magalies Water as moderator.

Register for the water resilience webinar: https://apo-opa.co/4z0aJyx

The conversation continues at Water Security Africa Johannesburg, co-located with the C&I Energy + Storage Summit, where industrial water independence, infrastructure finance, digital water systems, reuse and business continuity will be explored across two days.

Read more here: https://apo-opa.co/4yfjlBj

Towards Africa’s scalable energy transition

Looking to the infrastructure enabling Africa’s energy transition, Scaling transmission infrastructure: Innovative financing models for emerging markets takes place on 14 October 2026 at 14:00 SAST, moderated by Tshegofatso Neeuwfan, Global Energy Alliance.

Using the Mozambique Temane Transmission Project and insights from Belgian transmission system operator Elia, the webinar will explore bankable project structures, risk allocation and investor engagement that can help move major transmission projects from planning to delivery.

Register for the transmission infrastructure webinar: https://apo-opa.co/4ycMnkS

Transmission investment, project delivery and financing will remain central to Enlit Africa, 11–13 May 2027 at the CTICC in Cape Town, bringing Africa’s power, energy and water sectors together around supply security, investment and infrastructure development.

Join the Enlit Africa 2027 programme waiting list: www.Enlit-Africa.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




 

Continue Reading

Events

Dongfeng Motor’s 10th Science and Technology Innovation Week and 1st User Lifestyle Festival Kick Off in Wuhan

Published

14 hours ago

on

September 24, 2026

By

Over the course of ten editions spanning a decade, Dongfeng Motor’s Science and Technology Innovation Week has further strengthened the connection between technology and users

WUHAN, China, September 24, 2026/APO Group/ –On September 14, Dongfeng Motor’s (​http://www.Dongfeng-Global.com/) 10th Science and Technology Innovation Week and 1st User Lifestyle Festival kicked off in Wuhan. With the theme “ Wind from the East, Creating a Smart Life,” the event showcased the innovative achievements of a Chinese automaker in intelligent and green mobility, as well as its global expansion.

 




 
 

At the opening ceremony, Dongfeng Motor unveiled the “Sky-Clean Zero-Carbon” Plan, the Embodied Intelligent Vehicle All-Domain Protection Plan, and the “Sky Horizon Voyage” Plan. Among them, the “Sky-Clean Zero-Carbon” Plan leverages the “1331” framework to build an integrated vehicle-energy ecosystem, aiming to achieve more than 1 million tonnes of coordinated carbon reduction annually and promote the transformation of automobiles into mobile energy assets; the Embodied Intelligent Vehicle All-Domain Protection Plan adopts a “1+6+4” technology system to establish a new paradigm for all-domain vehicle safety in the era of embodied intelligence; the “Sky Horizon Voyage” Plan establishes a “125” global business strategy, with plans to invest RMB 50 billion and launch more than 50 vehicle models, while striving to achieve overseas sales of 1.5 million vehicles by 2030.

 

Over the course of ten editions spanning a decade, Dongfeng Motor’s Science and Technology Innovation Week has further strengthened the connection between technology and users. At Dongfeng Motor’s 1st User Lifestyle Festival, more than 240 owner representatives from its various brands gathered in Wuhan. Dongfeng also launched the “Dongfeng Youxin” service brand for its broad user base, establishing a full-lifecycle user service system.

On the same day, the 72nd International Commercial Vehicle and Parts Exhibition opened in Hannover, Germany. Three Dongfeng hydrogen-powered vehicles and a 400-kilowatt fuel cell making its global debut are on display at Booth C20 in Hall H12.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Dongfeng Motor Corporation.

 

 




 

Continue Reading

Events

Global Mayors Dialogue in Wuhan focuses on urban innovation and cooperation

Published

20 hours ago

on

September 24, 2026

By

WUHAN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 September 2026 – The Global Mayors Dialogue · Wuhan and the 2026 Wuhan International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference, held from Sept. 18 to 21, brought together 80 international guests from 24 cities across 22 countries, according to organizers.

At the event, mayors and city representatives from six international sister cities of Wuhan called for closer cooperation in technology, industry, education and culture.

Representatives from Manchester in Britain, Kemi in Finland, Cape Town in South Africa, Yangon in Myanmar, Rzeszów in Poland and Turkistan in Kazakhstan took part in discussions on urban innovation, industrial cooperation and cultural exchange.
 




 
Manchester: a new start after 40 years of friendship

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Wuhan and Manchester.

Shaukat Ali, lord mayor of Manchester, said the city was ready to deepen cooperation with Wuhan in education, culture, youth affairs, innovation and industry.

“Manchester is committed to promoting urban transformation through open cooperation, sharing opportunities, and fostering common development with international sister cities like Wuhan,” he said.

Ali said Manchester had developed from a post-industrial city into an innovation-oriented economy, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, life sciences and green technologies.

He said the two cities could share experience in urban transformation, innovation districts, university-industry cooperation and low-carbon development, while encouraging links among universities, businesses and research institutions.

He also highlighted existing educational and cultural links, including cooperation between Hubei University and Manchester Metropolitan University and exchanges between the Royal Northern College of Music and Wuhan Conservatory of Music.

Kemi: balancing growth with environmental protection

Mikko Koivulehto, chairman of the City Council of Kemi, said the Finnish city sought to balance economic growth with environmental protection.

“We believe that protecting nature and building a prosperous city can go hand in hand,” he said.

Kemi, a port city in Finnish Lapland, has developed industries based on renewable raw materials, clean energy and the bioeconomy. The city is also seeking to expand tourism and improve livability.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the friendly exchange relationship between Wuhan and Kemi. The two cities have cooperated in areas including trade, the circular economy, tourism and youth exchanges.

Cape Town: technology and jobs key to urban transformation

Lungelo Mbandazayo, city manager of Cape Town, said technological innovation, talent development, infrastructure and green renewal were key to Wuhan’s transformation.

Cape Town, a UNESCO City of Design, is seeking to expand its technology and digital sectors while promoting green technology and an inclusive economy.

Mbandazayo said youth unemployment remained a major challenge for Cape Town and that technological development needed to create jobs.

After visiting Wuhan companies and technology facilities, he said Cape Town hoped to deepen exchanges with Wuhan in technology and talent.

Yangon: seeking practical cooperation with Wuhan

Yangon Mayor Myo Myint Aung said the city was looking to Wuhan for experience in smart-city development, digital governance, intelligent transport and urban resilience.

Wuhan and Yangon signed a letter of intent on friendly exchanges and cooperation during the event.

Yangon is developing a long-term plan to accommodate population growth and expand its urban, industrial and transport infrastructure.

During a visit to Wuhan on Sept. 19, Myo toured the Optics Valley “Photon” suspended monorail, HGTECH and a Xiaomi smart home appliance factory.

“We came to Wuhan not just to observe, but to learn and cooperate,” he said, adding that Yangon hoped to develop smart manufacturing and strengthen cooperation in information technology.

Rzeszów: opportunities in aerospace and technology

Rzeszów Mayor Konrad Fijołek said the Polish city hoped to cooperate with Wuhan in aerospace, sensor technology, biodiversity and climate action.

Rzeszów is home to the “Aviation Valley,” a major aerospace cluster in Central Europe.

“Exploring cooperation with Wuhan is the reason I came here,” Fijołek said.

After visiting HGTECH and a Xiaomi smart home appliance factory, he said Wuhan’s automated manufacturing and technologies in sensors and satellite systems had impressed him.

He said cities could help connect universities, businesses and research institutions and promote international cooperation.

Turkistan: five areas for cooperation

Turkestan Mayor Azimbek Pazylbekuly said his city hoped to expand cooperation with Wuhan in tourism and culture, education and science, investment and entrepreneurship, digitalization and innovation, and transport and logistics.

Wuhan and Turkistan signed a memorandum of intent on friendly exchanges and cooperation during the event.

Turkistan, an ancient Silk Road city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been developing industries including food processing, textiles, furniture and construction materials.

Pazylbekuly said cooperation between governments, businesses, universities and research institutions could help turn the two cities’ exchanges into concrete projects.

The conference also included friendship-city anniversary celebrations and a signing ceremony for 10 cooperation projects. A digital list of cooperation opportunities and an initiative on international friendship-city cooperation were released.

During their stay, the visiting mayors toured Wuhan’s technology, manufacturing and ecological facilities, including the Optics Valley suspended monorail, a Yangtze finless porpoise conservation center, Xiaomi, HGTECH and Dongfeng Motor facilities.
  




 

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version