Presenter: Larry White, President & CEO, Toshiba America Business Solutions

At the Executive Connection Summit 2025, Larry White outlined Toshiba’s approach to diversification, print market resilience, and AI-driven growth. His session focused on Toshiba’s evolving business model and the role of artificial intelligence in service and sales optimization.

Print Is Still a Vital Industry

  • White pushed back against the narrative that print is dying, citing an $81 billion global market opportunity.
  • He compared print’s market size to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and cloud computing, highlighting that print remains a profitable business.
  • While print volumes are declining, he emphasized that Toshiba is gaining market share, keeping the business profitable and growing.

Toshiba’s Four Pillars of Growth

White detailed four key areas of diversification that are helping Toshiba maintain strong business performance:

1. Thermal Barcode Printing & Labeling

  • Toshiba’s thermal barcode business, which produces shipping labels and package tracking tags, has grown 166% since 2017.
  • Originally a struggling segment inherited from another Toshiba division, the business was turned around by:
    • Targeting enterprise accounts (FedEx, USPS, Target, AutoZone, Whole Foods).
    • Leveraging Toshiba’s strength in managed print services (MPS) to offer a service-first approach.
    • Shifting from a transactional sales model to a fleet management approach, creating recurring revenue.

2. Managed Services as a Growth Engine

  • Toshiba’s Managed Services business has grown 24.5% over the last two years, helping to offset declining print volume.
  • White highlighted that while print volumes may be declining 3-5% per year, Toshiba’s managed services revenue is outpacing losses by 9%, making it a critical area for dealers to explore.
  • Toshiba developed an automated tagging system (“IA Tag”) that streamlines device onboarding for MPS contracts, reducing human labor and increasing efficiency.

3. Digital Transformation & Software Solutions

  • Toshiba’s solutions business (software, IT services, workflow automation) is growing at 74% annually.
  • The shift from on-premise software to cloud-based SaaS models has changed revenue recognition but created long-term subscription revenue streams.
  • White emphasized that Toshiba focuses on specialized software solutions rather than trying to be a broad IT provider, ensuring expertise and profitability.

4. Digital Signage & AV Solutions

  • Toshiba continues to expand in digital signage, a segment that has gained momentum, especially in education, retail, and corporate settings.
  • White highlighted Chip Miceli’s success in selling LED scoreboards to schools, demonstrating how dealers can expand into adjacent technology solutions.
  • Toshiba’s approach: focus on high-margin, recurring service contracts, rather than just hardware sales.

AI Integration: Toshiba’s Strategic Approach

AI as a Business Driver

  • Toshiba has been an early adopter of AI, forming an AI task force two years ago to identify business applications.
  • AI initiatives focus on three areas:
    1. Cloud-Connected Products: Toshiba devices are AI-ready, with machine learning capabilities improving operational efficiency.
    2. Sales Optimization: AI is being used to analyze customer data, identify upsell opportunities, and improve service recommendations.
    3. Marketing Automation: AI helps streamline marketing efforts and target customers more effectively.

AI in Service & Predictive Maintenance

  • Toshiba’s AI-powered predictive maintenance system analyzes over 2 terabytes of daily device data to predict failures with 70% accuracy.
  • AI enables automatic service alerts, reducing downtime and improving customer satisfaction.
  • Technicians now have an AI-driven knowledge base on their phones, providing instant access to service manuals, modifications, and past troubleshooting solutions.

Final Thoughts: The Future of Toshiba’s Dealer Community

Key Takeaways for Office Equipment Resellers:

  1. Print is still profitable, but diversification is essential.
  2. Thermal barcode printing and managed services offer strong growth opportunities.
  3. Digital signage and IT solutions can drive higher-margin recurring revenue.
  4. AI is reshaping service efficiency and sales strategies—dealers should embrace it. 

SOURCE Industry Analysts Inc.