Consumables

Ricoh Reinforces Thermal Paper Production in North America

Monday 10. June 2013 - Responding to growing demand and accelerating expansion into the Latin American market

Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President & CEO: Zenji Miura) is to reinforce production line facilities for high value-added thermal paper products, to cater to growing demand in the North American market and pave the way for new market development in Latin America. Approximately 5 billion yen will be invested in new thermal facilities at the Georgia Plant operated by Ricoh’s U.S. production subsidiary Ricoh Electronics, Inc. (REI), in order to double the company’s annual production capacity in the U.S. .
Ricoh is developing, producing, and marketing durable, high value-added thermal paper mainly for barcodes on food POS, home deliveries, medical supplies, and airline luggage tags and has earned a large share of the market in many regions around the world. All this is underpinned by Ricoh’s advanced technologies, which strike a balance between high sensitivity to color at low energy and durability based on the company’s many years of technical expertise in areas such as thermal fax paper. Having initially entered this field in the U.S. in 1985, Ricoh has continued to extend its reach steadily since then, and surpassed its target of securing a 50% share of the market in fiscal 2012.
Until now, the process of manufacturing thermal paper (face stock) and liner paper, and processing end product (adhesion and slit operation), has been split between REI’s California and Georgia Plants. Following reinforcements to the production line however, the entire production process will now be handled by the Georgia Plant. This will enable significant improvements in efficiency and production capacity. Manufacturing thermal paper products entirely in North America, instead of making up shortages from Japan and other countries, will enable Ricoh to maintain steady supplies to existing markets and provide customers with faster service. Building on success in North America, Ricoh will establish a customer-oriented production and marketing structure, and accelerate expansion in the Latin American market, thereby tapping into anticipated growth in the future.
?Outline of Reinforced Production Facilities?
Location ? Ricoh Electronics, Inc. (Georgia Plant)
1125 Hurricane Shoals Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Investment ? Approx. 5 billion yen
Capacity ? Approx. 500 million m2 annually
Operational ? June 3, 2013