Ricoh has announced it has captured the number-one market share position for continuous feed inkjet systems in the United States for 2023 and the number-one market share position for high-speed continuous feed inkjet systems globally for 2023 in the IDC Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker (Calendar 2023).

"Ricoh's inkjet technology is based on more than 50 years of continuous research and innovation," said Gavin Jordan-Smith, senior vice president and general manager, head of the Global Sales Strategy Division & RICOH Graphic Communications North America Sales, RICOH Graphic Communications. "We continue to invest in developing comprehensive turnkey solutions that comprise our industry-leading inkjet technology, software and services, enabling our customers to seamlessly bridge the gap from offset to digital."

The inkjet market has grown rapidly in recent years and is estimated to reach $125.9 billion by 2029, as more companies seek to address a shortage of qualified labor, rising material costs, shorter run lengths and a greater focus on sustainability.

Named the "Company to Watch Out For" at this year's Inkjet Summit, Ricoh recently launched its flagship RICOH Pro VC80000, offering significant advancements in print speed, quality control, color management, increased production and AI-driven analytics, automation and predictive maintenance.

In other news, Ricoh's commitment to enabling sustainable and responsible print production has achieved industry recognition, with the Buyers Lab (BLI) 2024-2025 Pacesetter Award in Production Print Sustainability from Keypoint Intelligence, a global market research firm and independent evaluator of print and smart technology hardware, software, and services. Koji Miyao, president of Ricoh Graphic Communications and senior corporate officer, was presented with the accolade by German Sacristan, director of Keypoint Intelligence's production group, at drupa 2024.

Pacesetter Awards from Keypoint Intelligence recognize those document imaging OEMs that have shown market leadership in a variety of categories, including technologies, services and key vertical markets. Ricoh was recognized for its contributions to sustainability in the production printing area. Keypoint's Sacristan explained that Ricoh received the Pacesetter Award because of its consistently high rankings across a variety of factors related to production sustainability. Important was the fact that Ricoh's corporate responsibility involves collaboration with international environmental standards organizations and educational programs, supported by a large, dedicated in-house team focused on driving sustainability operations and leadership actions.

Also achieving recognition was Ricoh's strong commitment to sustainability on the product side, with its focus on reducing environmental impact through recyclable production products, service parts, supplies and packaging. Keypoint Intelligence also acknowledged Ricoh's steady and consistent company vision toward environmental goals such as achieving net-zero carbon emissions and its continuous refinement of its sustainability objectives.

Ricoh has a long history of incorporating sustainability into operational strategies. In 1994 Ricoh established the Comet Circle to contribute to the development of a sustainable society. Today, it is working towards net-zero emissions by 2050. By 2030, it is aiming for 50% of electricity usage to come from renewable sources and by 2040, for the use of 100% renewable electricity at all major sites. Water conservation and reducing the use of hazardous materials is a focus across manufacturing sites, too, while Ricoh's printer remanufacturing service continues to use fewer resources, energy and raw materials.

These initiatives and others are why Ricoh recently received a Gold rating from EcoVadis, placing Ricoh among the top 5% of companies assessed, consecutively being recognized since 2014. Ricoh was also named for the fourth consecutive time, as one of the Supplier Engagement Leaders by CDP, a non-profit organization that runs the leading global disclosure system for environmental impacts.

"Ricoh has been committed to developing sustainable and responsible practices in the graphic arts industry for decades," Miyao said. "We are delighted that our unwavering commitment and dedication has received such prestigious industry recognition. We look forward to continuing the great progress we are making, hitting our targets, and in turn supporting our clients as they develop their own sustainable, efficient and successful operational environments."