At PRINTING United Expo 2026, Sharp will unveil new color presses, specialty toner capabilities and workflow tools as it builds a broader presence in commercial production printing.
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America is preparing its largest production print showcase yet for PRINTING United Expo 2026, signaling a broader push into a market where commercial printers increasingly compete on specialization as much as volume. The company will bring its complete Digital Production Press Series to the Las Vegas event from September 23 to 25, alongside previews of two forthcoming color production models.
Those new presses point to an important part of Sharp’s strategy: helping print providers move beyond conventional four-color output. In addition to standard CMYK printing, the models will support specialty toners including gold, silver, white, pink and clear, as well as toner designed for textured paper, opening the door to applications where distinctive finishes can command greater attention and potentially higher margins.
The expansion comes as production printing businesses face pressure to improve efficiency while finding new services that differentiate them from competitors. Sharp’s broader portfolio combines high-speed color and monochrome printing with real-time image quality optimization, advanced paper handling and support for embellishment, while workflow automation is intended to reduce some of the operational complexity surrounding production. The company is also emphasizing partnerships with third-party technology providers rather than treating the press itself as a standalone system.
That ecosystem approach reflects how commercial printing is evolving. Hardware performance remains central, but software, automation, finishing options and the ability to produce specialized applications increasingly determine how effectively a print operation can respond to varied customer requirements. For in-plant operations and commercial providers, the practical value of new press technology may therefore depend as much on how it fits into an existing workflow as on output quality or speed.
PRINTING United will give Sharp an opportunity to present those pieces together for the first time, including its current Digital Production Press Series, the upcoming color models and supporting partner technologies. The showcase also illustrates Sharp’s effort to establish a more substantial position in production printing by pairing conventional high-volume capabilities with specialty output and automation, areas that could become increasingly important as providers look beyond traditional print jobs for growth.
