Vijay Maharaj’s ‘Add To Cart’ printing revolution: How Konica Minolta power drives new printing economy

Vijay Maharaj, chairman of the Rising Sun Group.

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In the shifting sands of modern commerce, media mogul Vijay Maharaj has not merely adapted – he has reimagined. His bold “Add To Cart” vision is more than a borrowed retail gimmick; it is a metaphor for a new printing economy where convenience, control and creativity converge.

For decades, the printing industry was shackled by slow quotations, endless phone calls and in‑person negotiations. Maharaj’s innovation dismantles that inertia. By digitising the customer journey, he has transformed print into an on‑demand marketplace – a space where choice is instant, pricing is transparent and customisation is limitless.

At the heart of this revolution are Konica Minolta South Africa multi-functional devices, the engines that translate digital intent into tangible products. Maharaj’s “Add To Cart” model allows customers to browse a catalogue of services – business cards, brochures, posters, packaging – and select what they want immediately. It is his digital printing version of Amazon, eBay or South Africa’s own Takealot.

This disruptive energy is not new. Four decades ago, Maharaj, who is chairman of the Rising Sun Group, launched the Rising Sun community newspapers, giving voice to stories and struggles often overlooked by mainstream media. Today, its 10 free regional editions reach more than 1.2 million readers weekly, serving as mirrors of identity and megaphones of community life. Through advertising, local businesses and national brands alike have found powerful entry into homes across KwaZulu‑Natal and Johannesburg.

To save costs and ensure independence, Maharaj took printing into his own hands, establishing presses that grew into Rising Sun Printers, a giant operation spanning half of Rising Sun Street in Chatsworth, Durban. The plant prints both the Rising Sun newspapers and other clients’ publications, while the digital division offers a one‑stop solution for design, repro, print, marketing, videography and photography. From banners and business cards to magazines, signage and full‑colour posters, the Konica Minolta South Africa machines run from dawn to dusk.

Rising Sun Group.

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Maharaj’s relationship with Konica Minolta began at Drupa, the world’s largest printing trade fair in Düsseldorf. “I was blown away by the capabilities of the Konica Minolta South Africa multi-functional devices,” he recalls. “I purchased the versatile AccurioPress C14000 and have had no regrets whatsoever. This machine simply gets on with the job, day after day – printing with consistency, reliability, ease and efficiency across a wide array of media.”

With features such as automatic quality set-up, real‑time monitoring and automated colour control, the AccurioPress C14000 has slashed turnaround times. “You can be sure to always produce exactly the quality that you and your customers expect – from page one to page 1 000, today and again tomorrow,” Maharaj says.

Label printing has also surged with the AccurioLabel 230, designed for the growing digital label market. Offering high‑resolution output and flexibility for short runs, it has opened new avenues for Rising Sun Printers.

Maharaj is equally emphatic about the after‑sales support: “We could not have asked for better support than what we’ve received from Konica Minolta South Africa. From the moment our digital press was installed, their team ensured that commercial work was flying off the printer without delay. Their customer service has given us the knowledge and confidence to steadily position ourselves as the digital printing outlet of choice.”

Rising Sun Group.

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For Maharaj, Konica Minolta South Africa has helped position his business as a digital marketplace for creativity, where “adding to cart” symbolises empowerment – customers curate their own print journey with the same ease they shop for everyday goods online.

Mohammed Vachiat, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Konica Minolta South Africa, affirms this ethos: “Konica Minolta South Africa understands the importance of building trusting relationships, fostering collaboration and providing solutions to problems. Our new generation of true production systems has been designed to increase uptime and print more in less time.

“With the Intelligent Quality Care Unit, you achieve the desired print quality every time, job by job. As a division of Bidvest Branded Products, we have more than 70 points of presence across southern Africa, enabling us to implement our technology‑powered, service‑focused approach across the region.”