In the office field, we maintained sales momentum in new A3 color MFPs and sales volumes reached double-digit figures in the key regions of Japan, the United States and Europe, as well as worldwide. Combined with monochrome units, overall sales volumes hovered around the same level year on year, while sales of high-segment models expanded within the product mix for color units. We are starting to see the effects of a transformation of business model, particularly in terms of sales growth in MFPs, achieved through the acquisition of IT service providers, an area that we have strengthened in the past few years.
In the production print field, the product mix shifted to high-segment models and sales of hardware increased year on year despite continuation of a cautious stance toward capital investment among Commercial Printer customers. There were signs of recovery in printing demand and sales of non-hardware continued to grow. M&As such as with Kinko's Japan, which was conducted last year with the aim of meeting corporate needs for large-volume printing, are also contributing to the increase in sales of non-hardware.
In the production print field, the product mix shifted to high-segment models and sales of hardware increased year on year despite continuation of a cautious stance toward capital investment among Commercial Printer customers. There were signs of recovery in printing demand and sales of non-hardware continued to grow. M&As such as with Kinko's Japan, which was conducted last year with the aim of meeting corporate needs for large-volume printing, are also contributing to the increase in sales of non-hardware.