Today, Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Ricoh) and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
AG (Heidelberg) announced a global strategic cooperation. As a
first step, both companies agreed to enter into a global
distribution contract for Ricoh's Production Printing Product
portfolio. This agreement enables Heidelberg to sell Ricoh's latest
color digital press, the Ricoh ProTM C901 Graphic Arts Edition -
Ricoh`s high speed color digital press with Ricoh PxPTM Chemical
toner, as well as appropriate future production printing offerings
in Ricoh's pipeline. The global strategic cooperation, which
includes Ricoh services and support, will start in April 2011. The
first markets will be UK and Germany with a phased rollout to
follow in other geographies with completion targeted for drupa
2012.
Digital printing continues to grow as commercial printers
extend their business models to offer marketing services, short run
color, and same-day service. Offset printers are increasingly
seeking to complete their portfolios with a flexible digital
solution integrated into their existing high quality offset
environment. The Ricoh and Heidelberg partnership will support them
in growing their core offset business and enable them to offer more
flexibility towards their clients using Ricoh's latest digital
print technology. Today, offset printers have access to a nearly
unlimited range of printing substrates, spot colors and
state-of-the-art coating applications as well as speciality inks
through Heidelberg's market leading offerings. By adding Ricoh's
leading digital production printing technology, professional
printers will be able to offer the well-known advantages of
variable data printing, instant delivery of urgent print jobs and
cost effective production of shorter run lengths.
The Ricoh Pro C901 Graphic Arts Edition addresses the needs of
commercial printers to build a high quality, digital color printing
environment. Featuring a production speed of 90 pages per minute
(ppm) it is easily the fastest and most productive system in the
digital value segment. This segment includes systems providing
production speeds between 60 ppm and 90 ppm with an actual monthly
production volume from 80,000 to 300,000 A4 pages and beyond.
Providing high quality output, the Ricoh Pro C901 Graphic Arts
Edition is an ideal solution to meet the expanding demand for
shorter print-runs, variable data printing and rapid delivery on a
wide range of substrates.
Both companies are committed to deliver a value-added
offering which drives long term profitability for their customers.
Entering into a global distribution contract is the first step of
the strategic partner cooperation between the two companies.
Heidelberg's and Ricoh's future plans are to include integration
with Heidelberg's industry standard workflow solution in the
graphic arts industry, Prinect, as well as joint development
activities for future printing applications.
Mr. Shiro Kondo, President and CEO, Ricoh Company, Ltd. says,
"In today's climate it is important that commercial printers have
the right tools to be versatile, and meet both long and short run
requests. Heidelberg is the gold standard in commercial and
packaging printing. This partnership demonstrates its confidence in
our digital technology and the ability of Ricoh to meet the needs
of the graphic arts industry. Together, we are in a strong position
to support businesses seeking to extend their existing equipment
and services with a digital solution."
"In Ricoh, the rising star in production printing, we have
found an ideal strategic partner who shares our values of customer
focus, environmental sustainability, innovation, quality, and
customer service. By rounding off our offset portfolio including
Anicolor technology with new digital printing equipment, we are
providing our clients the combination of best-in-class offset, and
now also digital printing-technology. Utilizing both, our customers
are able to offer variable data printing as well as shorter runs,
next to their established cost-effective and high end quality
offset printing," says Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberg. "With
this new partnership we will also address customer demands in the
broad spectrum of hybrid print applications, i.e. the combination
of offset and digital printing within a single print product."
As a world premiere Heidelberg will display the new strategic
partnership with Ricoh at the digi:media tradeshow from the 7th to
9th of April 2011 in Duesseldorf, Germany. The visitors will
explore a seamless live production portfolio, starting with job
offering and ordering using the internet, Prinect workflow
integration combining Heidelberg Anicolor Offset and Ricoh Pro C901
digital printing technologies, rounded off by Stahlfolder and
Eurobind demonstrations for state of the art book and mailing
production.
Please note:
The first joint press conference of Ricoh and Heidelberg
will take place on the 6th of April, 12:00 - 14:00 CET, at
digi:media, Duesseldorf, Germany.
www.digimedia.heidelberg.com
Caption 1:
Today Ricoh and Heidelberg announced a global strategic
cooperation enabling Heidelberg to distribute Ricoh's Production
Printing Product portfolio. Mr. Shiro Kondo (left), Ricoh CEO and
Mr. Bernhard Schreier (right), Heidelberg CEO.
Caption 2:
Heidelberg Germany and Heidelberg UK will start to
distribute the Ricoh Pro C901 Graphic Arts Edition beginning of
April 2011.
About Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Ricoh Company, Ltd. is a global technology leader,
specializing in the office and production printing markets. Ricoh
works with organizations around the world to modernize work
environments and optimize document efficiency. With more than
108,500 employees worldwide, Ricoh operates in Europe, the
Americas, Asia/Pacific, China, and Japan. Ricoh's worldwide sales
were more than 2,016 billion yen ($21 billion USD) in the year
ended March 31, 2010.
www.ricoh.com
For further information, please contact:
Americas
Linda Montefusco , Ricoh Americas Corporation
(973) 882-2172
Linda.Montefusco@ricoh-usa.com
Asia
Abelene Hu, Ricoh Asia Pacific
+65 6830 5811
abelene_hu@rapp.ricoh.com
China
Grace Qian, Ricoh China Co.,Ltd.
+86 21 52380222-8403
qianzhiqiong@rcn.ricoh.com
Europe
Janice Gibson, Ricoh Europe PLC
+44 (0) 20 7465 1153
Janice.Gibson@ricoh-europe.com
Japan
Francis Harrison, Ricoh Company, Ltd.
+81-3-6278-4713
Francis.Harrison@nts.ricoh.co.jp
About Heidelberg
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is the
world-wide leading provider of solutions for the print media
industry. The Heidelberg brand is internationally associated with
leading technology, top quality, and closeness to customers. In
financial year 2009/2010, the company had a sales volume of 2.306
billion Euros. As of December 31, 2010, the Heidelberg Group has
employed a workforce of 15,981 including 772 trainees and
apprentices.
www.heidelberg.com
For further information, please contact:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Business Press
Thomas Fichtl
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92 5900
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 5096
E-mail:
thomas.fichtl@heidelberg.com
Trade Press
Dirk Henrich
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92 5910
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 5096
E-mail:
dirk.henrich@heidelberg.com
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