Highland Office Equipment (now part of the Capital Group) became an authorised dealer for Konica Minolta more than forty years ago. Product ranges have continually developed and progressed such as the award-winning range of bizhub multifunctional devices.
Konica Minolta has transformed over time. With such innovation, it’s important to reflect on this progression.
Konica Minolta, when did it all begin?
Rokusaburo Sugiura started Konica Corporation in 1873, in Tokyo Japan.
However, it wasn’t until the next century that Kazuo Tashima formed the Minolta Corporation in 1928. The company Minolta completed its first copier in 1960 as the ‘Minolta Copymaster’. This was the first wet-process diazo copier. After introducing this product, Minolta’s focus became on meeting customer needs that were growing swiftly.

The Minolta Copymaster, 1960
Later, Minolta, introduced its very first electro-photographic copier using plain paper that we currently use today. It was first sold in 1971 becoming so popular that orders overtook production capacity.

Minolta first electro-photographic copier, 1971
Expansion
Three years later, Highland Office Equipment was founded in Inverness, Scotland. Tom Flockhart founded Capital Copiers (now Capital Document Solutions) in 1979, in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2013, Capital acquired Highland Office Equipment. This was part of a continued growth plan.
In 2003, Konica and Minolta merged to become Konica Minolta. Six years later, they made an agreement to form a dealership agreement with Capital Document Solutions.
Tom Flockhart, Managing Director of Capital Document Solutions summarises:
“Konica Minolta and Capital share the same brand values of exceptional products and outstanding technical support.”
One of our customers, Murray Taylor Accountants comments:
“We have benefited from their recommendations and rate their service and management of our account as first class. I would have no hesitation in recommending Capital and Konica Minolta to any business looking for an office equipment supplier.”
To find out more about Konica’s history, please see their video below:
Finally, for further information about us, the Capital Group and how we can support you, please contact us.
Images, video and information by permission of Konica Minolta
Posted in Konica Minolta