Ricoh and Toshiba To Combine Office Printer, Copier Production
TOKYO — Ricoh and Toshiba will combine production of printers, copiers and other office machines, Nikkei has learned, creating the world’s largest player amid declining demand due to the rise of remote work and paperless offices.
The deal, expected to be announced Friday, will merge manufacturing handled by Ricoh and Toshiba Tec into a single company in 2024. Ricoh will take a majority stake. The two sides will bring together technology to enhance competitiveness.
This marks the first deal between rival office equipment manufacturers to integrate production. With the market expected to continue shrinking several percent a year, the Ricoh-Toshiba partnership could prompt others to pursue similar arrangements.
The move will result in cost-savings by streamlining operations from designing and development to production. In the medium to long term, the companies will also consider restructuring factories. Sales and marketing will be handled separately.
Ricoh’s share of the global market for A3 laser multifunction printers was 15.2%, or approximately 510,000 units, in 2022, second behind Canon, according to U.S. researcher IDC. Toshiba Tec ranked seventh with a 7.2% share.
Total shipments for the two companies came to about 750,000 units, which would make the integrated company the world’s largest on a shipment basis.
An office machine manufacturer’s competitiveness stems from the combination of chemical, optical and machinery technologies. Japanese makers including Canon, Konica Minolta and Fujifilm Business Innovation hold more than 80% of the global market.
Office machine manufacturers are currently stuck with excess capacity as demand for office printing has steadily declined. Ricoh and Toshiba plan to encourage others to join the new company, with the new company possibly becoming a home to spun-off office machine production operations as Japanese manufacturers restructure.
The paperless work trend was already underway when remote work took hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, further eroding copying demand. The Japan Paper Association forecast domestic demand for office paper in 2023 will decline by 5% from the previous year to 1.46 million tonnes. When compared to 2019, demand will plummet 18%.
According to the Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association, global shipments of copiers and multifunction printers in 2022 totaled 4.06 million units, down 16% from five years earlier.
Why you should invest a photocopier?
The photocopier is the heart of the office – it’s where coworkers meet to catch up while producing the documents that they’ll need for the week. Because it serves such a vital role in every company, it’s crucial to invest in a photocopier that will meet all of your expectations.
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Duty cycle, Speed or pages per minute (PPM), Paper sizes, Price and payment terms, Print resolution, Paper input capacity, Ease of use, Automation features.
Printer Copier and Service Market to Undertake Strapping Growth During 2023-2030
New Jersey, USA – This section discusses various aspects of the Printer Copier and Service sector, including its size, trends, and revenue forecasts. The Printer Copier and Service Market Research literature also presents sections exclusive to assessing and concluding the revenue prospects for each market sector. The Printer Copier and Service market report concludes with a detailed assessment of this industry, highlighting the growth drivers and lucrative prospects that are likely to affect the global Printer Copier and Service market over the forecast period.
This section discusses various aspects of this sector, including its size, trends, and revenue forecasts. The Printer Copier and Service market is segmented by product type, end-user industry, and geography.
The Printer Copier and Service Market report provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of the industry, including its technological trends, competitive landscape, key players, and revenue forecasts for global, regional, and country levels. It also provides comprehensive coverage of major industry drivers, restraints, and their impact on market growth during the forecast period. For the purpose of research, The Report has segmented the global Printer Copier and Service market on the basis of types, technology, and region.