Cloud Print Adoption Driven by IT Workload Across Australia and New Zealand

Cloud print adoption across Australia and New Zealand is gaining momentum as organisations seek to reduce IT workloads and infrastructure management costs. New research from Konica Minolta Australia and Omdia shows that managing existing print systems remains a significant operational burden.

The research found that 47 per cent of Australian organisations and 40 per cent of New Zealand organisations identify reducing print server management and IT workload as a leading driver of cloud print adoption.

The findings come as organisations in both countries spend more than half their IT budgets maintaining existing systems and processes. This leaves less funding available for innovation and digital transformation.

The research surveyed 408 IT and business decision-makers across Australia and New Zealand between March and April 2026. It forms the third and final report in a three-part digital workplace research series developed by Konica Minolta Australia in partnership with global analyst firm Omdia.

Reducing IT Workload Drives Cloud Print Adoption

Organisations increasingly view cloud printing as a way to reduce the administrative demands on IT teams.

Traditional print infrastructure requires ongoing management of servers, drivers, print queues and supporting systems. Cloud-managed environments can reduce some of these responsibilities, depending on how organisations deploy and manage their systems.

John Harding, General Manager – Managed Services, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “IT workload has become an increasingly important part of our conversations with CIOs. The research confirms just how strongly this pressure is influencing cloud print decisions. IT teams are managing increasingly complex environments with limited capacity, and print infrastructure is part of that workload.

The cloud conversation is becoming much more operational. Organisations are looking at where cloud can reduce the day-to-day work associated with servers, drivers, queues and supporting systems, while giving IT teams more capacity to focus on broader business priorities.”

Hybrid Print Environments Remain the Dominant Model

Despite growing interest in cloud printing, most organisations have not moved entirely away from on-premises infrastructure.

The research found that 58 per cent of Australian organisations and 54 per cent of New Zealand organisations currently operate hybrid print environments. These systems combine on-premises servers with cloud-based services.

Meanwhile, primarily cloud-managed environments remain less common. Only nine per cent of Australian organisations and 14 per cent of New Zealand organisations currently use this model.

However, organisations expect further changes over the next 12 to 24 months.

In Australia, 42 per cent plan to move from on-premises to hybrid environments or from hybrid to primarily cloud-managed printing. In New Zealand, 38 per cent plan similar transitions.

These findings indicate that many organisations favour a gradual migration rather than replacing their existing print infrastructure immediately.

Cloud Print Adoption Drivers Differ Between Australia and New Zealand

Although organisations in both markets want to simplify IT operations, their priorities differ.

In Australia, improving support for hybrid and remote work is the leading driver of cloud print adoption. The research found that 49 per cent of organisations identify this as a priority.

Reducing print server management and IT workload follows closely at 47 per cent.

In New Zealand, lowering total cost of ownership ranks first, with 46 per cent of organisations identifying it as a leading driver. Reducing IT workload and print server management follows at 40 per cent.

Trevor Clarke, Chief Analyst, Omdia, said, “One of the most interesting findings from this research is the importance organisations are placing on reducing IT workload. Moving towards cloud printing can mean less management of infrastructure, licences and the wider print environment, giving IT teams an opportunity to reduce the effort involved in managing print.

“We’re also seeing a clear shift towards greater cloud adoption over the next 12 to 24 months. Typically, seeing this proportion of the market moving in the same direction at the same time is rare, so it’s a strong indicator of continued cloud print adoption.”

Budget and Data Sovereignty Concerns Limit Cloud Print Adoption

Despite the operational benefits organisations expect, financial and data management concerns continue to influence cloud print adoption.

Budget constraints represent the leading barrier in both markets. The research found that 50 per cent of Australian organisations and 42 per cent of New Zealand organisations identify budget limitations as their biggest obstacle.

Data sovereignty and location concerns also remain significant.

In Australia, 39 per cent of organisations identify these concerns as barriers to broader cloud print adoption. The figure rises to 41 per cent in New Zealand.

These findings highlight the importance of understanding where organisations store and manage information when evaluating cloud-based print services.

For many businesses, the transition will involve deciding which print services should remain on-premises and which could move to the cloud.

Organisations must also consider how these environments work together without increasing management complexity.

IT Maintenance Consumes More Than Half of Technology Budgets

The research highlights the financial pressure facing IT departments across both countries.

Australian organisations allocate an average of 55.5 per cent of their IT budgets to maintaining and operating existing systems and processes. New Zealand organisations allocate an average of 53.7 per cent.

Consequently, Australian organisations have 44.5 per cent of their IT budgets remaining for innovation and transformation. New Zealand organisations have 46.3 per cent available.

These figures help explain why reducing routine infrastructure management has become an important consideration in cloud print decisions.

John Harding said, “This matters when IT teams are already spending so much of their budgets keeping existing systems running. The business case for cloud print needs to be grounded in operational value: reducing management effort, supporting users and creating an environment that can adapt as workplace needs change.”

Key Findings From the Cloud Print Adoption Research

The Hybrid Reality: Accelerating cloud printing adoption report identifies several trends across Australia and New Zealand:

• Hybrid environments: 58 per cent of Australian organisations and 54 per cent of New Zealand organisations currently use a combination of on-premises servers and cloud services.
• Planned migration: 42 per cent of Australian organisations and 38 per cent of New Zealand organisations plan to move from on-premises to hybrid or from hybrid to primarily cloud environments over the next 12 to 24 months.
• IT workload reduction: 47 per cent of Australian organisations and 40 per cent of New Zealand organisations identify reducing print server management and IT workload as a leading driver of cloud print adoption.
• Budget constraints: 50 per cent of Australian organisations and 42 per cent of New Zealand organisations identify budget limitations as the leading barrier to broader cloud print adoption.
• Existing IT expenditure: Australian organisations allocate an average of 55.5 per cent of their IT budgets to maintaining and operating existing systems and processes, compared with 53.7 per cent in New Zealand.

What Cloud Print Adoption Means for Organisations

The research suggests that organisations increasingly evaluate cloud printing through its potential operational benefits rather than technology adoption alone.

Reducing the time IT teams spend managing print infrastructure could free capacity for other business priorities. However, organisations must weigh these potential benefits against migration costs, existing infrastructure and data sovereignty requirements.

The findings also show that hybrid print environments remain the most common approach across Australia and New Zealand.

For organisations considering cloud print adoption, the research points to three practical considerations: reducing management effort, maintaining support for workplace requirements and controlling infrastructure costs.

The pace of migration will depend on how organisations balance these priorities with their available budgets and information management requirements.

Report Download

The Hybrid Reality: Accelerating cloud printing adoption report is available to download here.

About Konica Minolta Australia

Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia Pty Ltd is a market-leading provider of trusted technology solutions to help Australian organisations keep pace with the needs of the future workplace through innovation and investment in technology solutions that leverage the technology of tomorrow, today.

For more information, visit konicaminolta.com.au.

About Omdia

Omdia is a technology research and advisory firm focused on helping technology companies and enterprise decision-makers navigate the connected digital economy. Through a global network of analysts, Omdia delivers expert analysis and strategic insight across IT, telecoms, and media sectors. Omdia is part of Informa TechTarget, listed on the London Stock Exchange.