Ricoh 2003 Annual Report Download - page 9

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allow users to seamlessly integrate color
pages into docum ents and finish them with-
out manual intervention. We have thus
becom e a m ajor force in the Japanese color
market, and we are well on the way to repli-
cating that achievem ent internationally.
But how did Ricoh m ake color a viable
option for the regular office? Two factors have
fueled our goal of becom ing a preeminent
provider of solutions. The first is technology.
The second is our unm atched global sales,
support, and service structure.
On the technology front, our m ost im por-
tant achievem ent has been the creation of the
Ri1 0 , the world’s first single chip to handle
all copier imaging functions. This dedicated
image processing m iddleware LSI eliminates
the “clutter” found on application-specific
integrated circuits to dram atically enhance
performance. The Ri10 lives and breathes
imaging efficiency. Software can be used to
modify processing capabilities. This LSI has
thus slashed the time and cost otherwise
needed to develop color system s. The Ri10 is
a central element in our latest offerings.
Another innovation, featured in the Aficio
AP 3800C ( IPSiO Color 8000) , is a proprietary
tandem drum printing system that prints all
four colors in a single pass.
Zero maintenance is the Holy Grail of
office equipment. Ricoh brings this close to
reality through the modules in its multi-
functional m odels. The m odules can be ser-
viced simply and quickly, thus m inimizing
downtim es.
While color is largely the future both for
us and our custom ers, this does not mean
that we are abandoning the world of m ono-
chrome solutions. Indeed, black-and-white
output remains a top priority for many high-
volum e users. We are meeting that need— in
spades. At the top of the line in our m ono-
chrome range is the Aficio 2 1 0 5 ( Imagio
Neo 1050Pro) , an on-demand input/output
station. This m odel can output a stunning
105 copies per minute. Double that figure
when two units are used in tandem for ultra-
high-volume runs.
As mentioned earlier, our direct sales,
support, and service structure is central to
our color strategy. In recent years, we have
acquired several office equipment companies
around the world so that today we can pro-
vide the best possible solutions globally. We
have been able to marshal this network to
identify the true needs of our customers. All
the people on the network are on the sam e
page. They seek and feed back relevant infor-
mation to our development operations so we
can provide even m ore useful products. Just
as important, our global network provides
color and monochrom e solutions through
systems and operating proposals that help
customers enhance efficiency while lowering
the total cost of ownership. That approach
has helped us land many new m aj or
accounts in recent years, and will pave the
way for even more contracts with small and
large com panies that find that color is a winner.
Ri10
The Ri10 is the world’s first single chip to handle all copier imaging functions.
This dedicated image processing middleware LSI eliminates the “clutter” found
on application-specific integrated circuits, handling all copier image processing
on a single chip. The Ri10’s 224 calculators use parallel processing to perform
25.7 billion calculations per second, which is more than 10 times faster than a
personal computer’s central processing unit. Software can be used to modify
processing capabilities. The Ri10 LSI has thus slashed the time and cost other-
wise needed to develop color systems. The Ri10 is a central feature in our latest
offerings, including the Aficio 1224C/1232C (Imagio Neo C240/C320) series.
Aficio 2105
This monochrome system com-
plements Ricoh’s color offerings.
It supports work-intensive
walk-up environments, net-
worked corporate workgroups,
central reprographics depart-
ments or print-for-pay opera-
tions. It rips through copy/print
runs at 105 pages per minute
and offers ultimate versatility for
all job requirements.