Ricoh appoints Yoshinori Yamashita as executive president and CEO

Ricoh Company, Ltd. announces a personnel change of Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer as approved at a meeting of the Board of Directors held today, January 26th, 2017.

Since Mr. Miura became president of Ricoh in 2013, the Company, under his leadership, has been fully engaged in creating customer value through expanding its services and production printing businesses as well as fully launching its industrial business. Furthermore, the Company has cultivated new areas of value such as its sustainability management business.

In addition, the Company is tackling changes in the business environment such as the decline in growth of office printing.

In the spirit of these initiatives and to further bolster the business and reinforce the earnings structure, the company is announcing a number of changes to its top management.

Mr. Zenji Miura will resign as Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer and will be appointed as Corporate Executive Advisor as of April 1st, 2017.

Mr. Shiro Kondo will resign as a Representative Director and he will remain Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors as of April 1st, 2017.

Mr. Nobuo Inaba will be appointed as Chairman of the Board as of April 1st, 2017

Profile of incoming Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer:

Name: Yoshinori Yamashita
Place of Birth: Hyogo
Date of Birth: August 22, 1957
Education: Graduated from Hiroshima University, faculty of engineering
Career:
March 1980 Joined the Company
April 2008 President of Ricoh Electronics, Inc.
April 2010 Group Executive Officer, Corporate Vice President
April 2011 Corporate Senior Vice President
April 2011 General Manager of Corporate Planning Division
June 2012 Director (Current)
June 2012 Corporate Executive Vice President
April 2013 In charge of Internal Management and Control
April 2014 General Manager of Business Solutions Group (Current)
April 2015 In charge of core business (Current)
June 2016 Deputy President (Current)

Yoshinori Yamashita

New Collaboration Strengthens Organisations

How are fast-moving ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) applied in a company or an organization? Are they perceived as easy to use and secure?

Ricoh’s new collaboration tool, easy to use and secure, not only saves cost and time, but also significantly changed the qualities of business and service.

Customers who have already adopted Ricoh’s ICT tool discovered new value in reforming communications for their organizations, and further, some felt improvement in their individual quality of life.

The evolution of wireless communication technology and mobile telephone networks, combined with the diffusion of small notebook PCs, tablet PCs and smart phones over the past several years, have made it possible to exploit information by accessing the Internet on the go. Costs wasted when returning to the office just to pick up documents or to give a report can now be significantly reduced. “Going directly to the work site and returning straight home” became possible, thereby improving the flexibility and productivity of individuals in the workplace. On the other hand, how are such ICTs (information and communication technologies) applied in company or organizational groups and teams? Are they really easy to use and worry free?

Recently, opportunities to collaborate within a group or team beyond the area or organization are also increasing. Internet based video communication services may be used for such applications. More than a few people are using such services from home to communicate with family or acquaintances in diverse places. However, not everyone can master such services. The expression “I can use it” or “I’m using it” is not the same as: “everyone in the company can use it easily and comfortably.” To be applicable in business, a tool or service must be easy to use and worry free for people even without ICT skills. Tools that require continual support are of little use and may not show a positive return on investment.

Security is also indispensable for business. Might there be hidden traps in using devices and services for private matters concurrently with important business activities? We must carefully examine whether confidence and security is fully assured with a best effort communication service. Beyond that, services today must be securely accessible from remote locations.

Download the WhitePaper: ricoh-ict-white-paper-2016

The Convergence Of AV And IT

Developments in both audio visual (AV) and information technology (IT) are leading to a ‘convergence’ of the two sectors. This is similar to what has already happened in other markets once open, connected and scalable internet technology became pervasive. Those working in IT and AV need to better understand each other and the consequences of technology advances in each sector, to plan effectively for the future.

Mobile working, sharing and collaborating

IT assets are no longer tied to an edge device or server in the back of the office, but are now accessible anywhere, often wirelessly on anything via a centrally managed service from the cloud.

There is a ‘digital overload’ with multiple sources, sensors and devices delivering a huge variety of real-time data to be accessed and interpreted via a multi-channel blend of communications, devices and screens.

With more information to share and faster timelines, the ever-present quest for productivity and collaboration is a top priority for IT that smart use of AV could help support. Further advances in the technology landscape highlight some ways that IT and AV are becoming more closely integrated. This will help to better meet the changing needs of the working environment.

Software defined world – convergence of data, separation of control

As more is connected, the shift is towards ‘webscale IT’. This is the approach typically used by companies such as Google or Facebook. The move is to the use of mesh networks with intelligence pushed to the edge, and software defined abstraction where data control and flow are separated.

Distributed intelligence with central coordination from the cloud is also relevant for AV, where technology was once proprietary and self-contained. The trend is now to open interfaces and a ‘single pane of glass’ (the wonderful ‘SPOG’) or web console, to manage all network accessible resources.

Automation and smart assistance

Data volumes from social media, embedded electronics and sensors increasingly need artificial intelligence and machine learning to glean previously undiscovered insights for business processes and user guidance.

Intelligence is also being embedded in devices and facilities to automate the use of AV equipment. Sensors can indicate when and how many people enter a room; light levels and ambient settings can be adjusted automatically as the facilities ‘self-organise’ around the needs of those present.

Presentation and digital blurring

High definition 4K has become standard and affordable. There is an increasing availability of large displays and further innovative displays such as curved LED walls. Touch screens and wireless tablet controllers are opening up software interfaces with systems exploiting visual feeds using cameras and sensors to understand movement to control camera pointing and zoom and manipulate complex data through gesture control.

Virtual Reality (VR) now delivers an affordable environment, from cardboard headsets wrapping over mobile phones to high end immersive systems. Augmented Reality (AR) further blurs the physical and digital worlds, with applications from architectural visualisation to supporting maintenance operations through animation. The integration and manipulation of data for these hybrid applications requires alignment between the skill-sets of AV and IT.

Just as mobile phones moved from simple telephony to be sophisticated computing devices connected to enterprise IT, AV has also evolved from standalone devices into a sophisticated networked IT ecosystem. This convergence of AV and IT brings exciting opportunities, but also challenges.  Professionals in both of these areas of technology will be aiming to grow their understanding of each other’s sector.

Trade-shows once specific to the AV sector, such as ISE in Amsterdam in February, now feature many aspects of IT from security and management to collaboration and mobile working. Sure, there will be plenty of big screens and fancy audio with glitzy appeal. But IT managers looking to better understand the opportunities and challenges of integrating AV into their day to day IT infrastructure will now also find ISE a professionally enlightening event to attend. ‘Converging’ with fellow experts from the world of AV would certainly be a good step towards ensuring AV/IT integration is smooth, seamless and successful.

 

 

Originally posted @: http://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Quocirca-Insights/The-convergence-of-AV-and-IT

Ricoh Acquires Avanti Computer Systems Limited

Ricoh today announced the acquisition of Avanti Computer Systems Limited (hereinafter “Avanti”), a leading provider of Print MIS (Management Information System) targeted for the production print market. This acquisition enables Ricoh to further expand the value its production print workflow delivers to customers, as well as to help improve management efficiency and productivity of customers in the production printing market.

 

In July 2013, Ricoh made a strategic investment in Toronto-based Avanti, which established the foundation for this acquisition. Award winning Avanti Slingshot solution is one of the most advanced JDF^*1-certified Print MIS available in the market today. JDF is the industry standard for process automation in pre-press, press and post-press.

 

“We are committed to continual portfolio advancements aimed at helping our customers grow their businesses and improve their efficiency,” said Jeff Paterra, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Technology & Solutions Development, Ricoh. “We know that in order to achieve this, they need complete solutions which address their business needs. While our RICOH Pro Series continues to grow market share globally thanks to its high quality and high productivity, customers look to Ricoh to resolve wider issues surrounding upstream and downstream systems. Our acquisition of Avanti helps us more effectively do just that.” 

This latest Ricoh acquisition continues Ricoh’s dedication to providing customers with an unmatched, best-of-breed portfolio that addresses the needs of the production print market, today and tomorrow. Previously, Ricoh acquired MarcomCentral (formerly known as PTI Marketing Technologies Inc.), in December 2014. The acquisition has successfully enhanced the value of Ricoh’s Web to Print, Marketing Asset Management, and Variable Data Printing offerings. With the addition of Avanti, the Ricoh portfolio is now able to cover the entire production workflow, including Print MIS. Ricoh is aiming to link the Avanti system not only with the RICOH Pro Series, but also with other company’s products, for providing customers with wider solutions.

 

“Ricoh’s initial strategic investment in Avanti three years ago gave us an unparalleled opportunity to advance product development and further deliver innovative MIS solutions,” said Patrick Bolan, President of Avanti. “The acquisition by Ricoh sets the stage for Avanti to accelerate growth into the global marketplace.”

 

In addition to production workflow, Ricoh has started to offer marketing workflow services, aimed to further print shops’ value proposition to their end customers. By collaborating with its partner companies, Ricoh also aims to form an industry-leading ecosystem that will continuously provide customers with increased value-added services.

 

*1. JDF stands for Job Definition Format.

 

About Avanti

Since 1984, Avanti has provided innovative, award-winning Print MIS solutions that help print shops and marketing communication organizations automate all facets of their business and cultivate a more meaningful customer relationship. Avanti’s solutions are the most open in the industry; are JDF-certified, fully integrated, and extend from web-to-print through to production and billing.

China Said to Be Concerned About Foxconn’s U.S. Intentions

China’s government has conveyed its concern over Foxconn Technology Group billionaire Terry Gou’s plan to expand the Apple Inc. assembler’s operations in the U.S. after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, people familiar with the matter said.

 

A high-ranking Chinese official recently expressed Beijing’s concerns directly to Gou, the people said, asking not to be identified because the conversation was private. In response, the Taiwanese billionaire told the senior bureaucrat he won’t withdraw capital from China. The U.S. investment plan hasn’t been finalized and is dependent on the policies of the incoming administration, Gou said, according to the people.

 

China is pivotal to Foxconn’s massive electronics assembly operation, which cranks out more iPhones and iPads than any other in the world. One of China’s largest employers, Foxconn has said it’s in preliminary discussions to broaden its investment in the U.S., without elaborating. Trump has often articulated his vision of bringing manufacturing jobs back to America from China, which became the world’s factory floor thanks to cheap labor and central policy support. And he’s singled out Apple in the past.

 

A potential strategic shift by Foxconn unnerves Chinese authorities because the company employs roughly a million workers across the country. Major factory job cuts have been known to trigger protests in the past, even as maintaining social stability remains among the top priorities of the ruling Communist Party.

“Gou wants officials to know that he still sees China as a market of greatest importance,” said James Yan, Beijing-based research director for Counterpoint. “Foxconn very much relies on China for both assembly and consumer businesses and its suppliers are also in Asian countries. That is not going to change at least in the next five years.”

Foxconn announced the potential expansion hours after a pledge from SoftBank Group Corp.’s Masayoshi Son to invest $50 billion in the U.S. and create 50,000 jobs. A document Son held up for reporters after a December meeting with the President-elect included the words “Foxconn” and “$7 billion” alongside SoftBank’s numbers. Shares of the Japanese company dropped as much as 2.5 percent in Tokyo on Tuesday. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Foxconn’s main listed arm, rose 0.6 percent.

 

It remains unclear how SoftBank and Foxconn may be working together, or what sort of promises may have been made to Trump. Gou told the Chinese official he was invited to the former reality TV star’s Jan. 20 inauguration but didn’t plan on attending, according to the people familiar with the matter.

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, the two mainland Chinese organizations that handle relations with Taipei, didn’t answer calls seeking comment. Foxconn didn’t respond to e-mailed requests for comment and calls to company spokesmen went unanswered.

 

Foxconn now operates factories in Chinese cities including Zhengzhou, Shenzhen, Taiyuan and Wuhan. But rising wages and persistent worker shortages are prompting electronics manufacturers look elsewhere: Lenovo Group Ltd. and OPPO are among those that have set up facilities in Southeast Asia, for instance. Foxconn itself has been increasing its use of robots to reduce its reliance on migrant labor, and studying plans to increase its footprint in India.

 

Any shift back to the U.S. may involve Apple, which now accounts for about half of Hon Hai’s revenue. Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, however, told 60 Minutes in 2015 that the U.S. simply lacks enough skilled workers in advanced manufacturing.

Then there’s cost. The components of an entry-level iPhone 7, which sells for $649, cost $224.80, according to research firm IHS Inc. Assembling those parts into a finished product, mostly in China, costs about $10 now, Jason Dedrick, a professor at Syracuse University, has estimated. Doing that work in the U.S. would add $30 to $40, he reckons.

Foxconn’s rivals however are reportedly open to the possibility. Pegatron Corp., another major assembler of Apple products, can expand its U.S. capacity three- to five-fold if necessary, a Taiwanese financial outlet cited Chairman Tung Tzu-Hsien as saying on Sunday.

“Foxconn may expand its research and development as well as some high-precision manufacturing to the U.S.,” Yan said. “But the main part of the assembly business will stay in China.”

With assistance from Gao Yuan, Steven Yang