The inkjet revolution: Ricoh delivers billions of impressions, hundreds of engines, nearly a dozen ink types and more

Ricoh hits new highs around the world; showcased at Hunkeler innovationdays 2017
Ricoh Europe, London, 07 March 2017 – Ricoh presented its inkjet technologies at Hunkeler innovationdays 2017. The global technology company continues to expand its impressive portfolio and build on its decade-long legacy as the first company to enter the high volume drop on demand market. At the biennial event held at Messe Lucerne, Switzerland, from 20 to 23 February, Ricoh showcased its production portfolio, including recent enhancements affecting print speed, quality and capabilities to help customers adapt to their fast paced, fast changing markets.

Ricoh continues to grow its inkjet portfolio to serve an increasingly diverse client base. Throughout this journey, the company has marked several milestones worth celebrating:

• More than 650 engines installed in 29 countries worldwide, averaging more than 20 engines per country.
• Being named a consistent global leader in high speed inkjet, most recently highlighted in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide High-Speed Inkjet Press 2016 Vendor Assessment
• More than 10 ink types developed and deployed, providing unmatched versatility and creative possibilities.
• Five generations of control unit platform, as Ricoh continues to evolve and reinvent to meet changing market needs.

Ricoh’s commitment to innovation spreads to its focus on reduced power consumption, reliability, output quality and application flexibility. Beyond the metrics, Ricoh has committed itself to driving continuous improvement in the inkjet market as well. This commitment is also reflected in Ricoh’s dedication to enabling clients protect their investment by making needed enhancements that help meet the demands of the evolving marketplace.

“Hunkeler innovationdays, one of the premier production print shows in the world, consistently provides an unparalleled opportunity to measure progress,” said Benoit Chatelard, Vice President, Production Printing, Ricoh Europe.  “Ricoh is making huge strides, hitting big milestones and satisfying diverse client needs in a way that really stands out. We were proud to carry this momentum to the show and beyond. The way technology has changed in recent years, we really do seem to be entering into an Age of Inkjet, and that’s an age where Ricoh can be right at the forefront.”

Milestones and portfolio enhancements are strong evidence of effectively helping clients grow their business, but the Ricoh added value is also clear from clients’ own words:

• Tri-Win Direct, a national direct marketing company in the United States, distributed 200 million direct mail pieces in 2015. When they wanted to go bigger and better, they turned to Ricoh and the Ricoh Pro VC60000.
• Pondres, one of the leaders in Dutch data driven marketing and print, focused the Ricoh Pro VC60000’s speed and power on delivering high quality printing for its clients as it pursued a multichannel approach.
• Recent German adopter Walter Digital ordered the Ricoh Pro VC60000 to support its mailings, point of sale-material, marketing collateral and manuals. 
• Urban Fulfillment Services (UFS), the US’ largest minority owned business outsource services provider to the financial services industry, as upgraded its print operations by adding multiple InfoPrint 5000s, helping to increase throughput and efficiency.

Enhancements to Ricoh’s market leading inkjet portfolio include:

• The brand new Ricoh Pro™ VC40000, announced last month, features a powerful combination of speed, resolution and ease of use. The Ricoh Pro VC40000 operates at speeds up to 120 metres/minute, making it capable of producing more than 100,000 A4 images per hour. Paper support from 40 to 250 gsm and an optional fifth printhead array for MICR, security inks and other options, bring astounding flexibility to the powerful platform.
• New and enhanced features for the Ricoh Pro VC60000, including a new 100 metres/minute speed option. This speed will support further inline finishing technologies that are not optimised for the platform’s usual 120-150 metres/minute speed; therefore enabling smooth production.
• Over the history of the InfoPrint 5000 programme, Ricoh has demonstrated a commitment to our clients by offering high value improvements on a consistent basis.  Recent upgrades have included paper saving mode, to nearly eliminate white paper from the start of a print job.  Ricoh has also introduced new inks, DFE enhancements, enhanced JDF support, new colour management tools, and many other improvements.

Ricoh was also proud to again sponsor the DOXNET lectures and networking event at Hunkeler innovationdays 2017.

For details on Ricoh’s full line of products, services and solutions for the production print market, please visit www.ricoh-europe.com and follow @Ricoheurope on Twitter and Ricoh Europe on LinkedIn.