Its Ricoh - Heidelberg picks its digital partner

After months of speculation as to which way the offset giant would jump, the decision to partner globally with Ricoh is set to radically change the dynamics of both companies and the industry as a whole.

However in the region there is no immediate change.

As a first step, both companies agreed to enter into a global distribution contract for Ricoh's Production Printing Product portfolio. This agreement enables Heidelberg to sell Ricoh's latest color digital press, the Ricoh ProTM C901 Graphic Arts Edition - Ricoh`s high speed color digital press with Ricoh PxPTM Chemical toner, as well as appropriate future production printing offerings in Ricoh's pipeline. The global strategic cooperation, which includes Ricoh services and support, will start in April 2011. The first markets will be UK and Germany with a phased rollout to follow in other geographies with completion targeted for drupa 2012.

According to Andy Vels Jensen, managing director of HAN, today’s announcement will have no immediate impact on the company's partnership with Konica Minolta. “The local sales agreement between Heidelberg Australia and Konica Minolta Australia is not affected by the Heidelberg and Ricoh agreement,” he said. “In Australia it is business as usual.”

The pioneering agreement in the local region has proved immensely successful for Heidelberg with at least two Konica Minolta engines sold every month since it began. This success augers well for the company if it can be replicated wioth Ricoh around the world.

Hiro Kaji, managing director of Konica Minolta Australia reinforced this. “Our relationship with Heidelberg has been extremely successful with strong demand from customers. Both companies are committed to continuing this partnership in Australia and it will not be affected by developments on a global level,” he said. “Working with Heidelberg and Kodak at PrintEx in May is another example of how local partnerships can work very well.”

 Heidelberg started selling the Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS range of digital presses to the cutsheet offset market in Australia, following the announcement of the partnership in May 2010.