Ricoh To Spend Y11bn To Boost Toner OutputTOKYO (Nikkei)--Ricoh Co. (7752) plans to invest 11 billion yen in group firm Tohoku Ricoh Co. this fiscal year to increase toner production.
Tohoku Ricoh makes polymerized toner, which is superior in color tone. This type of toner has seen growing demand for use in color copiers.
Under its medium-term management plan announced Thursday, Ricoh will slash its global group workforce by 10,000, or almost 10%, over the next three years, focusing on Japan, the U.S. and Europe.
At the same time, the firm aims to drive up sales and operating profit by expanding growth businesses. The investment in Tohoku Ricoh is part of this effort.
A string of mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. has left the company with excess workers, with sales and profit margins per employee stuck below such rivals as Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. (4902).
Ricoh seeks to more than triple its group operating profit from last fiscal year to 210 billion yen or more in the year ending March 2014.
(The Nikkei May 27 morning edition)
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