During his company's LEAD Beyond event last week, Toshiba America Business Solutions President and CEO Larry White spoke of Toshiba's recent financial success and market-share records.  

He additionally touched on his vision for improving print and digital communications for today's login-from-anywhere workplace. The upcoming expansion of Toshiba's Elevate Sky platform, which leverages the cloud to bolster print management and workflow automation, is a primary reason White cited for accomplishing this goal.

Toshiba's Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Business Development Bill Melo followed White on stage while further articulating how organizations of all sizes may operate more efficiently and securely via Elevate Sky enhancements. Melo stated Toshiba's main objective "is to make operating in the cloud as easy and natural as every other part of your business."

Imminent Elevate Sky applications, reseller tools and services, and an industry-disrupting license and subscription services management infrastructure are some of the more prominent additions to the platform, which Melo says will all be available in the fourth calendar quarter of 2023.      

Forthcoming Elevate Sky Upgrades

• Elevate Sky Print Management — Deploy virtually zero-touch deployment for key software and services applications while supporting all manufacturer multifunction printer (MFP) makes and models.
• Elevate Sky Translate — Scan documents from any one of 16 different languages and then convert an original document to print out into your choice of more than 61 languages.
• Elevate Sky Service — Utilize big data analytics and artificial intelligence for insights on quick fixes to MFPs.
• Elevate Sky Commerce — Create quick and easy client-centric commerce sites reflecting specific items, pricing, shipping and payment terms for which customers are contracted.  

Toshiba to Introduce Cloud-Enabled MFPs

While speaking at LEAD Beyond, Melo also spotlighted Toshiba's future trio of A4 and cloud-enabled systems. The new models (one color and two monochrome devices) feature Wi-Fi, solutions support, touch screens (from 4.3 inches to 10 inches) and trusted platform module security featuring a specialized chip that is designed to secure the MFPs with integrated cryptographic keys.  

The MFPs will additionally support both Mopria and AirPrint, as well as e-BRIDGE Global Print, enabling cloud printing within and outside of the office network. Like Elevate Sky, Toshiba's e‑STUDIO systems will be available by year's end.

In other news, Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive presents its 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award to Toshiba America Business Solutions Director of Supply Chain Planning Tracy Zhou.  

Food Logistics, the only publication exclusively dedicated to covering the movement of products through the global cold food supply chain, and Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, names Zhou as one of the winners of this year’s Women in Supply Chain Award. The award honors female supply-chain leaders and executives whose accomplishments, mentorship and examples set a foundation for women at all levels of a company’s supply chain network.

"This year, we received more than 400 submissions, the highest amount of applications not only for this award, but also for all of our awards," said Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief, Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive. "What's more, 118 of those applications were submitted by male counterparts, nominating their boss, co-worker or associate. Last year, that figure was just at 75. Also this year, 39 women self-nominated, a tremendous uptick from last year's award, which just saw 12 self-nominations. This shows progress. This shows hope that one day, we won't need an award like this because men and women in the supply chain will be equal. While there's still more work to be done, what we're doing is working. From truck drivers to CEOs, what these winners are doing matters to the future of all supply chains."  

"Tracy is a highly polished and talented professional," said Jason P. LaComb, vice president of supply chain and planning, Toshiba America Business Solutions. "Ever confident in demeanor, positive in outlook and capable in action, she comes to work each day with high energy, leading and supporting our planning teams toward the ultimate goal of delivering the right product, in the right place, at the right time and for the right cost every day of the week."