Ricoh 2011 Annual Report Download - page 36

Imaging & Solutions
RICOH Milestones
Color production printer makes full-scale entry into the color POD market Expanding the business scope to include the image communication field
Ricoh Pro C900 (2008) IPSiO PJ X3240N (2010)
Production printing Projection systems
History of RICOH
Providing solutions for building and managing the output/IT environment at offices
MDS and IT services
The Ricoh Group, staying true to its original heritage, has been engaged in the business of providing
innovative office solutions to a global customer base. In the 21st century, we are intent on maintaining our
winning position. Please see the timeline below for major milestones in our main business:
1959–1971
< New technologies &
overseas expansion
>
1946–1958
<Post war
development>
1936–1945
<Starting out>
1980–1989
<Developing
OA market>
1972–1979
< Birth of office
automation
>
2006–
present
<Building a
strong global
brand>
1990–1999
< Shift to digital
and color
>
2000–2005
< The Document
Highway
>
The first diazo copier for
the office market
Ricopy 101 (1955)
The first electrostatic
copier in the Ricopy series
Ricopy BS-1
(1965)
Analog PPCs (1955 –1997)
Ricoh’s first dry plain
paper copier (PPC)
Ricopy PPC 900
(1972)
First low-end digital copier
priced below one million yen
imagio 320*2
(1987)
Digital PPCs/MFPs (1982–)
Multifunctional digital copier featuring up to
six different functions in a single machine
imagio MF 530
(1991)
User friendly, energy-saving high-
speed multifunctional digital copier
imagio MP 9001*1 (2009)
*1 Aficio MP 9001 (name outside Japan)
*2 DS 320 (name outside Japan)
First color copier with fax
machine functionality
imagio Color 2800*4
(1998)
Color PPCs/MFPs (1985 –)
Using new color PxP toner, achieving high speed,
high picture quality and high energy efficiency
imagio MP C7501*3 (2010)
High performance full-color
copier with a zooming function
Ricoh Color 5000
(1985)
*3 Aficio MP C7501 (name outside Japan) *4 Aficio Color 4006 (name outside Japan)
Ricoh’s first laser printer
Ricoh LP 4120
(1983)
Printers (1983–)
Ricoh’s first color laser
printer
IPSiO Color 2000*6
(1998)
Compact and highly productive A4-
size multifunctional color laser copier
IPSiO SP C301SF*5 (2009)
*5 Aficio SP C231SF (name outside Japan)
*6 Aficio AP204 (name outside Japan)
Ricoh developed advanced digital technologies
and marketed the world’s first office-use fax
machine. We were also among the first to begin
development of digital copiers.
Ricoh introduced numerous technologically
innovative products to the market. Aware of
the high potential of digital technologies, we
also began operations outside of Japan.
The Ricopy series, launched in 1955, literally
became a pioneer in office automation and
revolutionized office administration.
Ricoh began life in 1936 when Riken
Kankoshi Co., Ltd. was established to
manufacture and sell sensitized paper.
Widespread installation of copiers in the
majority of offices drove our rapid sales
growth. Ricoh started to focus on developing
more advanced laser and digital technologies.
Amid a shift from analog to digital, Ricoh
moved ahead of the curve to satisfy the needs
for integrated fax and printer functions and
networking.
Ricoh promoted the “Document Highway,”
a concept wherein network devices and
applications share basic architectures to
enable the smooth use and management of
data by our customers.
Ricoh continues to strive to achieve further
growth by providing total office solutions,
entering into the high-end printing market,
and expanding our global operations.
* The Ricopy, imagio, Ridoc Document System, ITKeeper brand names are used only in Japan.
Building a strong
ANNUAL REPORT 201135