Connect with us

Business

Making it: “Your Customers will only stay with you if you remain Relevant” (By Eiji Ota)

Published

on

print

Positive growth advice from a forward-thinking century-old print business

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, November 8, 2022/APO Group/ — 

By Eiji Ota, Sales & Marketing Director, Canon Central and North Africa (www.Canon-CNA.com)

It’s no longer enough to just print and sell a product. In the competitive, modern print landscape, print service providers (PSPs) need to be more consultative, thinking about how they can provide more creative solutions to meet customers’ needs while also maintaining good relationships. However, the reality is that few print businesses are fully matching their clients’ expectations when it comes to that added layer of value. Our own research[1], where we interviewed marketing decision makers, revealed that less than 25% of print buyers feel they’re getting this much-needed expert input.

UK book printing specialists, Halstan, are a clear example of how adopting a more consultative approach has positive outcomes, not only for their customers but for their own growth and success. As an international, fourth-generation family-run business operating for over a century, they have a wealth of knowledge and experience, with some loyal clients going back over 80 years. In conversation with Chief Executive, Rupert Smith, he explained the five steps the Halstan team have taken to continuously adapt over time and deepen their customer relationships. I think they offer excellent, actionable advice for PSPs everywhere who want to cement customer loyalty and drive growth:

My advice is to always start with what your client wants and then work back to your offering

  1. Find out your customer’s objectives  Recognising that printing is a commoditised market, Rupert and his team constantly look for alternative ways to input and help deliver results. “My advice is to always start with what your client wants and then work back to your offering. This helps us to understand if there’s more we can be doing to tailor our services to support their business.” For example, Halstan now has print operations in Germany and USA in addition to the UK as a direct result of listening to its customers and then setting up operations in partnership to provide solutions in those regions.
  1. Have an open two-way dialogue – and do so regularly – One of Halstan’s relatively new markets is notebook and stationery production. Rupert finds that clients in this space don’t necessarily expect Halstan to advise on creative aspects of print and just deliver the end product. But by working collaboratively with the customer and guiding them through the production steps, Halstan can demonstrate their creativity, injecting it along the way, resulting in an end product that both parties are proud of. “Your customers will only stay with you if you remain relevant to them and if you continue to add value, so we want to keep coming up with ideas and taking new propositions to them.”
  1. Move the conversation away from price  The market place is extremely competitive but Rupert believes that, by being more consultative, it puts you in a better position for when the conversation with the print buyer does move on to price. “What we try and do is consult at a business-to-business level, helping customers to streamline all of their processes through data and workflow solutions. We start looking at reducing the overall cost of bringing a book to market, rather than just the cost of printing it. If you look through individual jobs to understand the business issues behind them and what the customer is trying to achieve, it opens up a lot of opportunities.”
  1. Use automation to your advantage  Halstan found that by increasing automation, quality, consistency, speed to market and accuracy all improved. In addition, errors from manual handling were drastically reduced. This freed up Rupert’s time to spend with customers, demonstrating his knowledge in print. “We’re having conversations with publishers about stock reduction, print on demand, removing warehouses, producing personalised books, taking over inplants, outputting in multiple locations.”
  1. Be bolder in your approach to market  Halstan attracted about 15 new customers through their new social media channels as a result of a targeted marketing campaign during the pandemic. This demonstrated the importance of an established company staying up to date with marketing trends and not shying away from the latest technologies so they could reach new audiences.

By streamlining their processes and continuing to evolve their offering in line with market demand, Halstan can spend more time understanding each customer’s individual business and what they are looking to achieve with print. Switching their focus to how they can be consultative in conversations with their clients, they have boosted their business by offering more creative solutions. The result? A strong track record of over 100 years in print and loyal customers who keep coming back for more!

It’s a pertinent reminder that print is not just about product, and process optimisation is not just about gaining production efficiencies. Success can follow when you free up expert resources within your business to spot opportunities, nurture relationships and cultivate growth.

[1] Source: Canon Insight Report, Creating Customer Value, 2020 (http://bit.ly/3UDz4pC).

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

Business

Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

Published

on

The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

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

 

Continue Reading

Business

Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

Published

on

As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

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

Continue Reading

Business

Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

Published

on

The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

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

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version