Russian Company Introduces First Russian Copier/MFP, the ‘Katyusha’ with Dual Ink-Cartridge System

A press release from a Russian agency called “Business-Inform” states that Russia – long dependent on printers and copier/MFPs sourced from vendors from the United States, Japan, Europe, and China – has introduced its first copier/MFP, the Katyusha, and is also developing its own printer supplies.

On September 13th, during the Import Substitution 2016 International Expo held in Moscow, a Russian company introduced the first Russian MFP, called “Katyusha. ” The Katyusha features print, copy, scan, and fax, and it appears to use color inkjet printing technology based on a stationary page-wide print head, printing in full color at 50-75 ppm and at 2,400 х 2,400 dpi resolution.

The Katyusha – a name that also refers to a rocket launcher used by the Soviets in World War II – is equipped with an LCD control panel, and is said to use ink cartridges that yield approximately 50,000 pages. It also uses a dual ink-cartridge system: after the first cartridge is depleted, the system automatically switches to the other ink cartridge. Ink cartridges can be also be replaced while the system is printing.

The MFP was developed by Service Systems in partnership with PromWAD (which focuses on electronic engineering), Baikal Electronics (Russian processing units), and XaaR (printing technologies), and Alexinskiy Chemical Plant (chemical production). The project is supported by the Industry Development Fund of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and by funds provided by CommIT Capital.

The first key customers planned for the new MFP are state businesses engaged in serving citizens, as well as customers in finance and healthcare. The MFP will be available for sale in mid-2018. Sales of about 65,000 MFPs a year are expected.

Another Russian company, Rostoner, plans this year to begin production of one- or two-component monochrome toner cartridges and toner for laser printers and copiers. During the first stage, Rostoner plans to acquire from German company INTEGRAL GmbH a continuous-type production line, with custom-made cartridges. During the second stage, two years after beginning production, Rostoner plans to completely switch to local raw materials and set up a production site that will also employ leading specialists in the field.

The first customers for Rostoner cartridges and toner are said to be state companies and state organizations. Russian products will likely cost less, as they won’t include the cost of shipping. The production site for manufacturing toner and cartridges will be in a special Russian economic zone, Alabuga in Tatarstan.

The budget for the project is estimated at 619 million rubles. The Industry Development Fund of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has approved a 300 million rubles five-year loan for Rostoner, and Rostoner plans to acquire up to 7 percent of the Russian market by producing around 2.8 million cartridges and 350 tons of toner. The production site will have a staff of 74 people, and will begin manufacturing in the fourth quarter of 2016. It’s expected to reach full capacity by the first quarter of 2018.