Ricoh Breaks Boundaries of MFP Intelligence With All-New Technology Platform

WEST CALDWELL, N.J., June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh Americas Corporation has launched a series of next-generation multifunction products (MFPs) built on a new technology platform designed to seamlessly interface with the Web, cloud services and a wide range of applications that help solve customer business problems and generate true business value.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120606/NY19986-INFO )

The new platform alters the very nature of a printer/copier/scanner/fax device, embodying Ricoh's focus on customer productivity. "We've created a new generation of intelligent MFPs with a workstation-class computing platform inside and an interface that focuses that power on each individual's most important work," said Mike Dane, Vice President, Marketing, for Ricoh Americas Corporation. "The MFP has become a full-fledged, two-way engine of the corporate information ecosystem, providing a robust portal for users to input, process and output information. Its new applications empower today's workplace where, among other things, workers are increasingly mobile and bringing their own device into the work environment."

Key Elements of Ricoh's New Technology Platform
The next-generation platform enhances business performance through a host of new capabilities designed to help improve workflow, cost of ownership, sustainability, security, compliance and accessibility.

Customizable User Interface
The platform creates a new benchmark for ease of use with a full-color touchscreen operating panel customizable for each department, workgroup or user's workflow. Users can create a personal start page that includes shortcut functions for their most popular workflow processes and settings. A built-in MFP web browser enables users to navigate and print from the web, and allows for access to cloud services, including applications for document capture, management, storage, processing (e.g., OCR), printing, sharing, customer relationship management and more.

Mobile Printing
The platform includes wireless mobile printing capabilities for users of all the standard smart phones and tablets. As the workforce becomes more mobile, this new platform fully supports the bring-your-own-device ("BYOD") culture. 

Eco-Friendly Indicator
A new eco-friendly indicator displays, by user or organization, key metrics to stimulate environmentally (and financially) responsible resource use. For example, it reports paper volume reductions and eco-friendly behaviors such as duplexing and N-up printing (e.g., two or more pages per side). It rewards users with green-leaf icons for making good choices over time.

New security options
The new MFP technology platform offers a long list of industry-leading security technologies. These technologies include unauthorized copy control, which helps secure copying of confidential documents by embedding a pattern or message in documents that becomes visible when copied, and mandatory hold, which requires a user to authenticate at the device when printing the document. Flexible time-of-day controls help enforce safe printing patterns, e.g., hold at night, print automatically during the day, and forward during lunch. The new technology platform also offers stronger (256-bit) address book/job encryption and a data overwrite system that lets administrators destroy all stored data when an MFP changes hands. Other features include Bates stamping, which enables legal, medical, insurance, financial and other workers to scan enterprise documents into file management systems using sequential numbering schemes. Finally, the new MFPs support the Adobe PDF/A format, required by many government agencies for long-term document archiving, and digital signatures for accountability.

"As a Ricoh Premier Partner, Nuance Document Imaging feels the new Ricoh technology platform is the most robust, flexible Ricoh platform yet. The integration of the new platform with Ricoh's product capabilities and services-led approach is a win for everyone involved: Nuance, Ricoh, and our combined customers," said Michael Rich, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Nuance's Document Imaging Division.

The following MFP models are built on the new MFP technology platform:

• Ricoh Aficio MP 4002/MP 5002 Series black and white devices
• Ricoh Aficio MP C3002/MP C3502 Series color MFPs
• Ricoh Aficio MP C4502/MP C5502 Series color MFPs

"These are products that we can demonstrate, sell and build real solutions on today, not some time in the future. We have set a new high-water mark for just how intelligent an MFP can be and the value it can bring to information workflow," said Dane.

For more information on Ricoh's full line of products, services and solutions, please visit www.ricoh-usa.com.   

About Ricoh
Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in more than 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2012, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,903 billion yen (approx. 23 billion USD).

The majority of the company's revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and specialized industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives.

Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change. Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and harness the collective imagination of their employees.

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com/about/

© 2012 Ricoh Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact:
Linda Montefusco
Ricoh Americas Corporation
(973) 882-2172
[email protected]

Jill Searl
Brodeur Partners
(603) 559-5824
[email protected]

SOURCE Ricoh Americas Corporation