The way we work is changing, and it's not just because of the rise of AI or the proliferation of technology. It's also because of companies like Ricoh. The electronics company is one of JBM’s largest vendors, and they've been making headlines across the globe.
In May, Ricoh announced that they would be merging with Toshiba Tec to form a new company specializing in manufacturing multifunction printers, copy machines, and production print equipment operations. This fusion comes just a year after acquiring Fujitsu, an established leader in the document imaging market.
What does this mean for you and your business?
Today’s blog will provide you with everything you need to know about what's happening at Ricoh and how its recent announcements benefit you.
Earlier this year, Ricoh and office equipment designer, manufacturer and distributor, Toshiba Tec, announced plans to merge their operations.
As of April 2024, Ricoh will integrate its research, development, and production with Toshiba Tec. This includes hardware solutions such as multi-function printers (MFPs) and copiers.
As the majority shareholder in the new venture, Ricoh will own 85 percent, with Toshiba Tec owning the remaining. Both design, research, development, and production divisions will be compressed and immersed into Ricoh Technologies (a subsidiary of Ricoh) so that the purchasing of parts, materials and use of production centres can be streamlined.
The recent move comes as the office equipment market continues to face a decline following digitalization and the COVID-19 pandemic. Both of these events have prompted a shift toward paperless operations, which have greatly affected sales in the industry.
According to an official statement released by Ricoh, the electronics company is hoping to combine both companies’ technological strengths in research and development as well as the production of office solutions to combat this change of pace and develop new solutions in the field of digital transformation. The goal is to provide customers with a comprehensive solution that supports their ever-changing needs while still reducing costs and increasing productivity around the office.
This merger will allow Ricoh to expand its portfolio of products with Toshiba Tec's expertise in manufacturing and distribution. In addition, it will help the company reduce costs by combining resources across product lines.
Ricoh has been busy. In addition to its joint venture with Toshiba Tec, they’ve been making some other big announcements. In April of last year, Ricoh acquired Fujitsu’s scanner business. Ricoh purchased an 80 percent stake in Fujitsu’s wholly owned subsidiary, PFU, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-resolution scanners. This is a big deal for Ricoh, as it gives them access to an existing customer base and allows them to expand their own offerings in the area of document management and workflow solutions.
Around the same time, Ricoh announced a business alliance with Cybozu, Inc., a software company headquartered in Japan. The new partnership would see the two companies working together on Cybozu’s cloud services teamwork platform, branded globally as “kintone”, to develop a Ricoh-branded version to be launched globally, starting in Japan. The new product is designed to help businesses streamline their document management processes and increase productivity. It also provides users with access to a collaborative platform that allows them to work remotely while maintaining high levels of security and control over their data. Future initiatives include linking the data from Ricoh’s branded version of “kintone” to its Ricoh Smart Integration (RSI) cloud platform providing digital transformation services. Ricoh aims to provide added value by analyzing and utilizing accumulated digital data to further advance and automate customer operations in the future. Ricoh aims to introduce “kintone” and its benefits to global markets and create a business worth over $68 million by FY2025.
Ricoh has been making big announcements lately, and it’s all part of the company's plan to expand its services portfolio for the benefit of you, its customers. As part of its global strategy, “Ricoh Lift Off”, the company seeks to become a digital services company that supports worker creativity and connects workplaces.
The company has invested heavily in expanding its service offerings with acquisitions and mergers designed to ensure sustainable growth by 2025. Together these efforts represent Ricoh's commitment to delivering innovative solutions that help customers achieve their goals more efficiently—and more affordably than ever before.
Ricoh's recent investments in services, expansion into new markets and mergers with other companies are a boon to JBM Office Systems. By improving its infrastructure and expanding into new areas of business, Ricoh has made it possible for us to provide you with more options when the need for office equipment strikes. With access to new technology and more options than ever before, this consolidation allows us to better provide you with equipment suitable for your office space.
Ricoh’s recent business decisions also make shopping for office equipment a breeze! Rather than travel from store to store, JBM Office Systems is equipped as a single point of contact for all your business technology needs.
Whether you need help navigating the process of purchasing new technology to smooth out business operations, upgrading your current copier systems, or training on how to use these systems effectively, JBM can help.
JBM Office Systems is here to help you with all your office needs. We offer a great selection of Ricoh products, as well as several other types of hardware and software solutions that can drive productivity and cost savings into your business.
Contact us today or stop by our St. Catharines showroom to learn more about the latest cutting-edge equipment transforming office spaces.
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