Quocirca Publishes Industry-first ACT Framework Analysing how Automation and AI, Cloud, and Technology Ecosystems are Redefining Print Industry Leadership
May 7, 2026
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, Press Release, Cloud, Trends
New report analyses how effectively print manufacturers and independent software vendors are adapting to a services-led, software-defined, ecosystem-driven market
London, UK: 7 May 2026: Quocirca today published the first edition of its ACT Print Industry Ecosystem Report, a strategic blueprint to help vendors and channel partners adapt to the definitive shifts occurring across the print market. Falling print volumes, growing margin pressure, and market consolidation are accompanied by increasing customer expectations that print workflows will integrate seamlessly, intelligently, securely, and cost-effectively into the broader digital ecosystem.
This presents a definitive challenge for the print industry’s manufacturers and independent software vendors, who must innovate, adapt, and partner to succeed.
Quocirca CEO Louella Fernandes explains the rationale for the ACT Framework: “ACT moves the industry conversation away from hardware-centric propositions towards integrated digital services, outcome‑based value, and strategic partnerships. Print now operates as part of a wider digital workplace and IT services landscape. Customers increasingly expect print infrastructure to align with cloud platforms, identity systems, security architectures, and workflow automation tools. ACT provides a consistent lens through which to assess how well vendors can support these expectations today and evolve alongside them in the future.”
The ACT Print Ecosystem Report 2026 covers OEMs and Independent Software Vendors, exploring performance in the three core pillars to help customers understand not just who provides devices or software, but also who can support their broader objectives around cloud adoption, AI enablement, digitisation, security, and workplace transformation.
The three pillars of the ACT Framework are:
A: Automation and AI. Analysis focuses on the vendor’s ability to leverage AI and automation to optimise print activities and transform paper-based processes, integrating the outcomes directly into a business’s core processes to unlock new efficiency and insight.
C: Cloud and Collaboration. The report analyses the vendor’s cloud offering and ability to support customers on their cloud journey, delivering flexible, hybrid, and secure workplace environments.
T: Technology Ecosystems. The report examines vendors’ ability to shift their culture and mindset towards participation in the broader IT ecosystem. Vendors and ISVs must move beyond offering standalone products. Instead, they must build solutions that seamlessly integrate with a customer’s existing business applications and broader workplace collaboration platforms.
The vendors who achieve “Leader” status demonstrate a global vision and strategy, alongside mature offerings in each of the ACT pillars. Those designated “Innovators” are driving innovation and disruptive technology across their product and service portfolio, while “Major players” are defined by established execution and specialist expertise.
Louella Fernandes continues: “This is a pivotal era for the print industry as rapid technology advances, urgent AI-fuelled digitisation drives, and workplace changes coincide with global economic instability. Vendors’ ability to compete no longer comes down to size or past market presence, but to how quickly and effectively they can develop new models, integrate new capabilities, and build strong new collaborative partnerships. Customers are seeking in-depth, consultative relationships with suppliers that deliver measurable benefits, and the ACT Framework explores how vendors are addressing this challenge.”
Quocirca’s ACT Leaders are: Canon, HP, Konica Minolta, LRS, PaperCut, Pharos, Ricoh, Tungsten Automation, Vasion, and Xerox.
Quocirca’s ACT Innovators are: Datasec Solutions, Epson, Ezeep, Fujifilm, Kyocera, MPS Monitor, MyQ, and Sharp
The Quocirca ACT Print Industry Ecosystem Report 2026 provides comprehensive analysis of offerings from participating vendors: Canon, HP, Katun, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, Sharp, Xerox, Datasec Solutions, MyQ, MPS Monitor, PaperCut, Pharos, Tungsten Automation, and Vasion.
Purchase the Quocirca ACT Print Industry Ecosystem Report 2026 or download a complimentary executive summary here.
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