Zhono Leading the Way in Printing Chips with Strategic Growth in Emerging Global Markets

Zhono Microelectronics, founded in 2013, is a global leader in printing chips, specializing in R&D, design, production, and sales for office printing and related industries.

In an interaction with Imaging Solution Magazine, Mr. Jason Doran, Head of European Business, Zhono Microelectronics shares insights on Zhono’s growth, global market strategy, and upcoming initiatives for emerging markets.

Could you start by giving us a brief overview of Zhono?

Zhono Microelectronics was founded just over 10 years ago and is based in Guangzhou, China. We’re an independent chip supplier, specializing in copier chips, toner chips, inkjet, and chip resetters for the consumables market. Our products are completely independent, which means we’re not tied to any particular OEM. Our reach is truly global — we supply to markets in North America, Europe, South Africa, and various regions worldwide. While our head office is in Guangzhou, we also have three manufacturing and R&D facilities in China, plus head offices in both America and Europe.

How would you describe the current state of the global market for printing chips?

The market is quite complex at the moment, especially in mature regions where we’re seeing only small growth. But the real excitement lies in the emerging markets, like India, South Africa, and South America. These regions present very interesting opportunities for us, and our strategy for the upcoming year will focus on targeting these developing markets. For instance, India is a particularly promising market for Zhono due to its fast-growing population and the presence of many remanufacturers and resellers in the industry. We’re actively working on a targeted strategy for India to engage with both remanufacturers and resellers across the country.

Could you expand on your strategy for the Indian market?

We recognize the rapid growth in India’s population, which is set to surpass China’s this year. This growth translates to a vast potential market, with numerous remanufacturers and resellers. Our strategy is to actively target these groups, establishing relationships with them to meet the demand for high-quality, reliable printing chips. We’re a well-established brand in the consumables remanufacturing industry, though we might be new to some customers in India. To bridge that gap, we’ll leverage our network of partners in India and South Africa and may explore a distribution model involving renowned local distributors. This would allow us to establish a stronger foothold in the region and expand our presence effectively.

What technological challenges does Zhono face, and how overcome them?

Technology in this field is advancing rapidly, and OEMs are making it increasingly difficult for aftermarket suppliers, particularly with chip technology. Regular firmware upgrades and serial number lockout devices are two major challenges, as they complicate the integration of aftermarket chips. However, Zhono is well-prepared to tackle these issues. We continuously release new chips every month and are also investing in next-generation resetting machines. At the recent Remax show, we launched the Progeasy 3 resetting machine, which is currently the fastest resetting machine available. It features an 8-core processor, Bluetooth setup through an iPad, and can reset up to five chips simultaneously. It’s an exciting innovation for us and the market.

How does Zhono support its customers and partners amid these challenges?

Our approach at Zhono is centered on being a genuine partner to our customers. We are an independent supplier, meaning we don’t sell other components or cartridges — only chips. This allows us to focus solely on providing the best chip solutions for our partners. We’re committed to supporting our customers in growing their businesses by developing the specific chips they need, whether it’s high-yield chips, ink, copier, or toner chips. This partnership model has been very successful for us. Our customers trust us because of our open and honest relationships, as well as our transparency about the markets they operate in. Our goal is to work alongside them, ensuring that we help them expand their business in their respective markets.

Any message you’d like to convey to Zhono’s customers?

I’d say to both new and existing customers: with Zhono, you’re not just getting a product, you’re getting a partner. We’re here to support your business every step of the way. Our independence as a chip supplier allows us to focus on exactly what our customers need, and we’re dedicated to helping them grow their presence and profits in their respective markets. We’re proud to maintain strong, honest relationships, which has been a key factor in our success. And that’s the commitment we’ll continue to uphold as we move forward.

Covered By: Imaging Solution / Zhono

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