TOKYO, May 29/Kyodo JBN/AsiaNet/--Ricoh Company, Ltd., today announced the opening of a new company, Ricoh Asia Pacific Pte, Ltd., which will be based in Singapore. Ricoh Asia Pacific, will market office equipment and control the company's sales activities throughout the region. The new company is scheduled to begin full operations on October 1, 1997. The establishment of this new company is in line with Ricoh's management policy of getting closer to its customers to provide even greater customer satisfaction. To facilitate this goal and respond quickly the to different regional needs, Ricoh has localized its marketing structure by breaking down its global operations into five regional markets. These are: the Americas; Europe, Africa, and the Middle East; China; Asia and Oceania; and Japan. Ricoh Asia Pacific has been established to strenghthen the company's presence in the Asia and Oceania region, where rapid economic growth is forecast over the next decade. Taking over the Asia and Oceania region from Ricoh Business Machines, Ltd. of Hong Kong, which will now concentrate on the China and Taiwan markets, Ricoh Asia Pacific will handle regional sales as well as user support and logistics. The new company will be able to address user needs much faster, with special emphasis on the demand for digital equipment and networking generated by the spriraling of the region's information infrastucture. Ricoh Asia Pacific will be able to meet the increasing demand for digital equipment, such as multifunctional and color copiers, which is as area of strength for Ricoh. Ricoh selected Singapore as the location for the new company because: (1) Singapore is geographically at the center of South East Asia, so Ricoh Asia Pacific is ideally situated to cooperate with distributors, dealers, and other Ricoh bases in the region; (2) the information and logistical infrastructure are well established.Name: Ricoh Asia Pacific Pte, Ltd., Address: #15-01/02 The Heeren, 260 Orchard Road Singapore 238855 Established (Registered): December 1996 Start of full Operations: October 1, 1997 (Scheduled) Capital: S$2.6 million Shareholders: Ricoh Company, Limited (100%) Executives: Koji Inoue (Chairman) (Concurrently president of Ricoh Business Machines, Ltd., and associate director of Ricoh Co., Ltd.) Toshihiko Tachikawa (President) Area of Operations: Sales of copiers, facsimiles, stencil duplicators, related supplies and parts, and service. Operating area: Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Idonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Loas, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australis and News Zealand. Annual Sales Target: S$170 million Employees: 40Contact: Takanobu Matsunami Public Relations Department Ricoh Company Limited Tel: +81-3-5411-4511 Fax: +81-3-3403-1578 e-mail: [email protected]