Ricoh
Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company that develops and sells metal binder jetting AM systems and industrial inkjet 3D printers, alongside its core office imaging, production printing, and digital services businesses.
- CEO / Founder
- Akira Oyama
- Team Size
- 5001-10000
- Stage
- Public
- Latest Round
- IPO
Technology & Products
Key Products
RICOH Pro VC80000 high-speed inkjet production printer; Metal binder jetting AM systems (aluminum parts for mass production); RICOH Managed 3D Print Services for Additive Manufacturing Production; Industrial inkjet printheads and 3D inkjet printer technology; Office MFPs, laser printers, and document solutions; Digital cameras and 360-degree cameras
Technological Advantage
Ricoh's AM advantage rests on its long-standing inkjet printhead and materials engineering capabilities, which it has redirected into metal binder jetting for mass production of aluminum parts. The company publicly exhibited a new metal binder jet technology in November 2021 in partnership with Ricoh UK Products Ltd., and has filed numerous AM-related patents under 株式会社リコー / RICOH COMPANY, LTD. (e.g., JP6519274B2, JP6428241B2, WO2017094709A1). The advantage is partially defensible via patent portfolio and process know-how, but the metal binder jetting segment is increasingly competitive (HP, Desktop Metal, Markforged, GE Additive), so the moat is moderate rather than dominant.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Enables cost-effective mass production of aluminum and metal parts via proprietary binder jetting technology, reducing per-part cost and lead time versus conventional metal AM while leveraging Ricoh's decades of inkjet printhead and materials expertise.
How They Differentiate
Ricoh differentiates through its inkjet printhead heritage and materials science depth, targeting mass production of aluminum parts rather than prototyping; its metal binder jetting approach competes with HP Metal Jet and Desktop Metal on cost-per-part and throughput for industrial aluminum components, while its broader industrial printing portfolio (e.g., Pro VC80000) provides cross-selling leverage.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Industrial manufacturers, aerospace and automotive component producers, medical device companies, and enterprise office/document customers
Industry Verticals
Industrial manufacturing; Aerospace; Automotive; Medical/Healthcare; Office and enterprise document management; Graphic communications
Competitors
HP Inc. (Metal Jet binder jetting); Desktop Metal; GE Additive
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Ricoh Group worldwide sales of approximately ¥2,608 billion; consolidated employees 75,635 (as of March 31, 2026); capital 135.3 billion yen
Major Milestones
1936: Founded as Riken Kankoshi Co., Ltd.; 1963: Renamed Ricoh Company, Ltd.; 1965: Introduced Ricopy BS-1, first electrostatic copier; 2014: Launched additive manufacturing (AM) business; 2021: Reorganized into four business groups (Printing, Medical, Imaging, Industrial); 2021: Exhibited new metal binder jet technology with Ricoh UK Products Ltd.; 2022: Expanded Customer Experience Centre in Telford, UK for metal AM co-creation; 2023: Announced collaboration with Siemens for industrial aluminum part mass production
Notable Customers
Takachi Electronics Enclosure Co., Ltd. (タカチ電機工業)
AM patents
AM-relevant patents linked to this company.
- Patents
- 3
- Granted
- 0
- Families
- 3
Leading domains: process (3), equipment (2), material (1)
Filings by year: 2020: 2 · 2019: 1
- THREE-DIMENSIONAL MOLDING KIT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THREE-DIMENSIONALLY MOLDED ARTICLE2021193339 · WO
- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED ARTICLE, CURING SOLUTION FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, AND KIT FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING2021002479 · WO
- SHAPING DEVICE, SHAPING METHOD, COMPOSITE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF COMPOSITE, WIG BASE, WIG, AND PRODUCTION METHOD OF WIG2021149418 · WO
Funding rounds
- IPO1963-01-01Source: Web