Japanese electronics maker Epson has opened a new office in Cape Town, expanding its operations in South Africa as part of a broader regional growth strategy across the Middle East, Africa, and Central and West Asia.
The new site, which will serve the Western Cape and neighbouring areas, follows the launch of Epson’s Innovation Centre in Johannesburg in April 2025 and comes amid rising demand for sustainable and education-focused technology solutions across the continent.
The move is intended to deepen Epson’s support for local customers and partners, according to the company’s South Africa country manager, Timothy Thomas. “This is a significant milestone in our regional expansion. It positions us to better serve the Western Cape market while continuing to grow our footprint across the country,” Thomas said.
Epson employs roughly 80 staff in South Africa and has increased investment across the META-CWA region—covering the Middle East, Türkiye, Africa and Central and West Asia—by more than 28% in facilities and 45% in staffing over the past two years. The company said it has seen triple-digit growth in education sector sales between its 2022 and 2023 financial years.
The Cape Town office is not expected to function as a research or manufacturing facility. Instead, it will support Epson’s commercial, marketing and technical teams, with an emphasis on customer engagement and regional responsiveness.
Neil Colquhoun, president of Epson’s META-CWA operations, said the decision to expand in Cape Town reflects the city’s growing importance as a technology and business hub. “Cape Town offers a highly connected ecosystem, with strong links to innovation networks and an increasingly digital economy,” he said.
The expansion comes amid renewed interest from global technology companies in Southern Africa, where government-led infrastructure initiatives and increasing private sector digitisation are creating opportunities for business growth. While Epson does not break out country-level earnings, the company said the African market remains a key focus as it looks to expand access to its inkjet printers, scanning solutions and projectors.
The new Cape Town office also aligns with Epson’s broader focus on low-power, energy-efficient technologies. South Africa’s ongoing energy constraints have made efficiency a competitive advantage in the commercial and education sectors.
Epson’s South African operations date back more than two decades. The company said its recent investments are aimed at long-term market development rather than short-term performance gains.