Ricoh 2009 Annual Report Download - page 23

ANNUAL REPORT 2009 22
To Our Shareholders
and Customers
Fiscal 2009
Highlights
Progress of the
16th MTP
Creating New
Customer Value
RICOH
Milestones
Sustainable Environ-
mental Management
Corporate Social
Responsibility
Financial
Section
S u s t a i n a b l e E n v i r o n m e n t a l M a n a g e m e n t
Innovative manufacturing leads
to resource recirculation
The Ricoh Group pursues an approach to
manufacturing that reduces the waste of
resources and energy consumption throughout
the lifecycle of our products. Since 1993,
we have been generating our unique design
methods with a policy that considers recycling
conditions in the designing phase. Particularly,
we focus on designs that accommodate
reconditioned machines, are easily dismantled
and sorted, allow us to reuse valuable parts,
recycle high quality materials, allow for closed
loop recycling, and result in strong products
that can withstand the rigors of recovery and
recycling. More recently, we have been
concentrating our efforts on making our
products smaller in size, lighter and more
durable. imagio MP C2200, launched
in October 2008, is more compact than
conventional models. This new multifunctional
color copier features a smaller body than
black-and-white units*1 and is lighter in weight
(by 20%) compared to preceding color units.
In order to reduce environmental impact
and improve economic effi ciency we recover
and recondition used products at the end
of their product life and send them back
Measures in Business Operation
to market with added value. Through an
established network, products are recovered
and thoroughly inspected, dismantled, cleaned
and reassembled with new parts, resulting in a
product with the same level of quality as a new
product. Since the fi rst series of reconditioned
units of imagio MF6550RC was returned to the
market in 2001, more models have been added
to the lineup of reconditioned copiers.
*1 Compared to imagio MP 2550, when equipped with
duplex copying unit, manual paper feeder (not in use)
and inner  nisher.
*2 Compared to imagio MP 2500, when not equipped
with an ADF.
Measures for Customers
Helping customers reduce
environmental impact by
visualizing CO2 emission levels
The Ricoh Group passes on the know-how of
environmental impact reduction that we have
been using in our offi ce operations to our
customers. In this service in Japan, we provide
customers with a graphic representation
of CO2 emission they produce while using
offi ce equipment. To do this, we collect data
on the electricity and paper consumption of
the copiers and laser printers at customers’
offi ces through remote monitoring software,
called “@Remote.” Based on the collected
data, we estimate CO2 equivalent from the
amount of electricity and paper consumed,
and inform the customer of the results.
The Ricoh Group promotes paperless
offi ces and stricter compliance with sorting
and recycling to create environmentally-
friendly offi ces. We provide customers with
the know-how that we have gained from
such practices by opening our offi ces to the
public as “live offi ces.” Starting in Japan, live
offi ces now operate in more than 70 locations
including those outside the country. One
example is Ricoh Asia Pacifi c Pte. Ltd., which
is a regional headquarter subsidiary in the Asia
Live of ce in Singapore
* For details, please read the Ricoh Group Sustainability Report (Environment) 2009.
Report on of ce equipment usage
(example)
region; it has been supporting an increasing
number of customers in creating
environmentally-friendly offi ces. The Ricoh
Group’s sustainable environment management
activities are expanding within its community.
Approach through Products (Resource Conservation and Recycling)
imagio MP C2200:
multifunctional
color copier with a
smaller and lighter
body
Ricoh’s manufacturing process
innovation
The Ricoh Group has been carrying out
innovations in the manufacturing process in
its efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
Focusing on innovations in manufacturing
processes saves energy and space on
streamlined production lines and has a
spillover effect on associated equipment, such
as air conditioners and air compressors. In
addition, the equipment costs and line start-up
time will be greatly reduced. To date, trimmed
production lines for organic photoconductors
used in copiers have been put in operation,
while the size of toner fi lling devices has been
dramatically reduced. In addition, innovative
processes have been realized, including
changes in the toner crush lines and thermal
sheet painting methods. These measures have
also been applied to production lines in other
countries whenever possible. The simultaneous
achievement of reducing environmental impact
and improving manufacturing effi ciency has
enforced the competitive edge of the Ricoh
Group in the way only good environmental
management can.
Amount of electricity consumed and its
estimated CO2 emissions equivalent
* Functions installed and function settings
may vary depending on models.
Number of printed pages
by function
Estimated CO2
emissions reduced
by use of double-
sided/multi page
printing