Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Looks like Ricoh is doing away with a lot of the product line from the DDP series from the Hitachi buy out and now looks like they got rid of a lot of the IBM Infoprint stuff?

Any confirms?

[teebee1234]

Re: Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

Don't know about Infoprint but the official assured field support ended at the end of November for the DDP's (though parts availability are guaranteed until October 2016). But if there is still money to be made servicing them then they will keep renewing the service contracts until the bitter end.

This is from the Assured Parts Availability documentation-

PERIOD OF ASSURED PARTS AVAILABILITY

The period of assured parts availability is seven years from Ricoh Corporation's product discontinuance date. After the Final Month of Assured Availability for a discontinued model,procurement of such parts may not be available. After the Termination of Parts Availability, there is a high risk of being unable to obtain such parts.

PERIOD OF FIELD SUPPORT AVAILABILITY
The period of assured field support is 2 years from Ricoh Corporation's product discontinuance date. After such date, there is a high risk that
field support will not be provided or it will be fee based support only.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

Thanks. Surprised they're getting out of that line. I thought they were supposed to be a great line and really good for MICR printing.

[KenB]

Re: Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

Ricoh has partnered with a company called Rosetta that makes MICR toner for certain models.

[teebee1234]

Re: Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

I would suspect that it may be redundant with the newer Ricoh models now out, though I'm not sure what the plans are for MICR printing (maybe they will update the C900's to utilize it?). The C900 would probably be the most likely candidate, I've been told there are MA's available to allow it to be positioned as a spot printer like the DDP. Another factor maybe the parts cost on the DDP, my manager has a stroke anytime I have to order a fuser or replace the developer assy every few million. I ordered replacement ethernet cables that go from the server to the engines upon recommendation of tech support, those buggers were about $200 apiece our cost (nothing special that justifies that price!). Also the DDP server is non-Ricoh so add that into the mix. The technology may be old but they sure do take a beating, very solid once you break them in.

[teebee1234]

Re: Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

Ricoh has partnered with a company called Rosetta that makes MICR toner for certain models.

I wasn't aware of that. Do you know if that will require any type of mechanical updates to those models or software (fuser temp, charge/xfer voltage changes)?

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Ricoh getting rid of product lines?

I didn't know that. We almost got authorized by Hitachi many years ago before they were going to sell out. It's too bad Hitachi didn't have a stronger presence because I really like a lot of their stuff...everything they make so far has been solid like you say. TVs, I love their power tools and saws.

I would suspect that it may be redundant with the newer Ricoh models now out, though I'm not sure what the plans are for MICR printing (maybe they will update the C900's to utilize it?). The C900 would probably be the most likely candidate, I've been told there are MA's available to allow it to be positioned as a spot printer like the DDP. Another factor maybe the parts cost on the DDP, my manager has a stroke anytime I have to order a fuser or replace the developer assy every few million. I ordered replacement ethernet cables that go from the server to the engines upon recommendation of tech support, those buggers were about $200 apiece our cost (nothing special that justifies that price!). Also the DDP server is non-Ricoh so add that into the mix. The technology may be old but they sure do take a beating, very solid once you break them in.