Re-organization of Ricoh Imaging Systems Business

[odklizec]

Re-organization of Imaging Systems Business including Digital Camera Business

Tokyo, February 9, 2012 — Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Shiro Kondo, hereinafter Ricoh) announces an organizational change to its imaging system business including security system business and consumer digital camera business.
Since October 1, 2011 when PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY (President：Zenji Miura, hereinafter PRI) was established, Ricoh managed its global imaging system business under two brands, RICOH and PENTAX. Specifically RICOH brand digital cameras were designed, developed and sold by Personal Multimedia Product Company (hereinafter PMMC), an internal organization of Ricoh, while PENTAX brand digital cameras were designed, developed and sold by PRI.

In an effort to strengthen customer relationships and provide innovative products and services, Ricoh will re-organize its structure.
1.Effective date：

• ・April 1, 2012（plan）

2.Scope：

• ・Worldwide

3.New functions of each business unit：

• ・PRI: Consumer businesses such as digital cameras for B2C market
  (This includes Ricoh development resources to improve capabilities and support Ricoh branded cameras )

• ・Ricoh PMMC: B2B businesses including security system business, and imaging solutions business for B2B market

February 9, 2012

Ricoh Company, Ltd.

 

[thelps]

- I have no idea what this actually means - I've read it thrice and I'm none the wiser.
Sorry --

 

[odklizec]

How I understand it (and in simple words) Pentax will now be in charge of development and retail of future Ricoh cameras. We can only hope, the brand name and typical Ricoh hallmarks will remain also in future Pentax-based Ricoh cameras.

UPDATE: OK, the things may be a little bit more complicated (but in a good way) than I thought I understand Stay tuned for more info.

 

[bertalan]

Yes, there seems to be some confusion. One site says Pentax is taking over Ricoh Media devices and another says Ricoh is taking over. Maybe it neither, maybe the new PRI is taking over both, who knows.

 

[Duane Pandorf]

If its any consolidation, whatever happens, my GXR will still work the same way every day the way it worked yesterday. My A12 M Mount will still work with any M Mount lens or Screw Mount with an adapter. I think the next time I turn my GXR on the shutter button will still work. The SD card still works, the LCD still works. In other words, I'm not looking for another camera as the one I have still has plenty of life in it and there's really nothing else I need other than a wheel barrel full of money to buy the other Leica lenses I can't afford at this time. :mrgreen:

 

[Wyrleyrob]

As I read this it just means both Ricoh and Pentax consumer camera divisions will now fall under one wing instead of being split over two. Seems sensible but will it be like two worlds colliding? What we don't need is Ricoh brand dwindling to nothing and Pentax becoming the main line. As Ricoh owners and lovers I am sure we are all looking for the brand to continue and bring out more new product, in it's own in-imitable style. If the new Pentax K-01 is anything to go by, life could be very different in the future!

 

[Wiener]

How I understand it (and in simple words) Pentax will now be in charge of development and retail of future Ricoh cameras. We can only hope, the brand name and typical Ricoh hallmarks will remain also in future Pentax-based Ricoh cameras.

UPDATE: OK, the things may be a little bit more complicated (but in a good way) than I thought I understand Stay tuned for more info.

Hi Pavel,
any further news? As with all mergers and takeovers, efficiency and cost-cutting lie at the heart of it somewhere. Moving the research and development, and possibly also the marketing/sales under one roof would make sense and fit into the 'normal' model I describe. As always though, the devil is in the detail and if the Ricoh photographic section was of relatively low priority to the original Ricoh operation as a whole, then Pentax (who are much bigger in the field of imaging R&D, I would say) could be given a free-hand as to what goes forward from here...
Andy

 

[Wiener]

If its any consolidation, whatever happens, my GXR will still work the same way every day the way it worked yesterday. My A12 M Mount will still work with any M Mount lens or Screw Mount with an adapter. I think the next time I turn my GXR on the shutter button will still work. The SD card still works, the LCD still works. In other words, I'm not looking for another camera as the one I have still has plenty of life in it and there's really nothing else I need other than a wheel barrel full of money to buy the other Leica lenses I can't afford at this time. :mrgreen:

Hi Duane,
in a sense you are not the customer that will keep Ricoh alive, however much you enjoy the GXR and however much you praise it. Your cash for future sales will not add to their profitability in the slightest. What I think this emphasises more than anything, is that Ricoh MUST produce products which will tempt the like of you to buy something with Ricoh stamped on it once more. I guess that could be some really innovative lenses to stick into the GXR camera module sometime soon! I am certainly looking forward to see what comes next...
However, I have to admit to looking quite posively at an A12 M and something really wide to go with it at the moment; is the 24-80mm A16 module not just a tiny bit to big??? :?
But we will see! :lol:
Andy

 

[socket]

What I am really waiting for is someone to announce that you can buy Ricoh products at your local Pentax dealer.

Pentax is generally available here in Canada - but nothing Ricoh. :cry:

 

[Duane Pandorf]

If its any consolidation, whatever happens, my GXR will still work the same way every day the way it worked yesterday. My A12 M Mount will still work with any M Mount lens or Screw Mount with an adapter. I think the next time I turn my GXR on the shutter button will still work. The SD card still works, the LCD still works. In other words, I'm not looking for another camera as the one I have still has plenty of life in it and there's really nothing else I need other than a wheel barrel full of money to buy the other Leica lenses I can't afford at this time. :mrgreen:

Hi Duane,
in a sense you are not the customer that will keep Ricoh alive, however much you enjoy the GXR and however much you praise it. Your cash for future sales will not add to their profitability in the slightest. What I think this emphasises more than anything, is that Ricoh MUST produce products which will tempt the like of you to buy something with Ricoh stamped on it once more. I guess that could be some really innovative lenses to stick into the GXR camera module sometime soon! I am certainly looking forward to see what comes next...
However, I have to admit to looking quite posively at an A12 M and something really wide to go with it at the moment; is the 24-80mm A16 module not just a tiny bit to big??? :?
But we will see! :lol:
Andy

Well I am considering a second body and m mount as if the GXR Is discontinued I will want a backup. I'm really enjoying the manual focus M mount option.

 

[thelps]

As I read this it just means both Ricoh and Pentax consumer camera divisions will now fall under one wing instead of being split over two. Seems sensible but will it be like two worlds colliding? What we don't need is Ricoh brand dwindling to nothing and Pentax becoming the main line. As Ricoh owners and lovers I am sure we are all looking for the brand to continue and bring out more new product, in it's own in-imitable style. If the new Pentax K-01 is anything to go by, life could be very different in the future!

So this is a question will there still be Ricoh branded cameras and Pentax branded models?

With the divisions merging I see engineers from both camps coming together so the way I see it in essence you will have a "new brand" from this merger and essentially new designs.
Perhaps there will be some distinction.
Ricoh compacts are streets ahead over Pentax.
Ricoh's mid range might take some design elements from Pentax.
Pentax have DSLRs and the MF.
So we will no longer see Pentax compacts - Ricoh only, the Ricoh mirrorless, maybe a Pentax mirrorless and the Pentax "Big guns"
Many Japanese camera makers do patent swapping to achieve their design, maybe this merger just gives Ric-Tex (Pen-Cho?) more patents to build with.

 

[ayewing]

If the reorganisation results in stronger marketing and the presence of both Pentax and Ricoh cameras in local camera shops I am sure this would lead to greater sales.

At present in the UK you have to try very hard to find Ricoh cameras and usually rely on buying mail order without the chance to handle the equipment. Pentax are little more easily found but still suffer from low visibility compared with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic. If pooling the resources of Pentax and Ricoh increases the profile of both brands we should all benefit.

 

[Remko]

What I really want to know is who will lead this new group. That is typically who gets the upper hand in strategy and products moving forward. I know this from my own experience.

So is that the former Ricoh VP or the former Pentax VP?

As for the line-up my take:
- general compacts: Pentax has the upper hand (broader line-up, more sales)
- serious compacts: Ricoh
- dslr: Pentax of course
- Medium Format: Pentax

I think the challenge is in the Mirrorless (GXR, K-01, Q).

Together there is no company that has this broad a range of products. Pentax has a broader distribution and is better know. However the brand names are lesser known than the big ones (canon and nikon) and the sales smaller. Never the less all the ingredients are there. Just crank out good products and invest is marketing.

Remko

 

[thelps]

- general compacts: Pentax has the upper hand (broader line-up, more sales)
-

Remko

Remko, I disagree here, maybe in USA, but in Japan I believe the Ricoh's are a bigger seller.
Certainly Ricoh's a better camera than the Pentax in the compact line - sorry but everytime I look at Pentax compacts I see stuff thats been done before by someone else.

 

[Remko]

- general compacts: Pentax has the upper hand (broader line-up, more sales)

Remko, I disagree here, maybe in USA, but in Japan I believe the Ricoh's are a bigger seller.

Ok I have to admit that I'm not familiar with the Japanese market but in Europe and the US Ricoh is very hard to find.

Certainly Ricoh's a better camera than the Pentax in the compact line - sorry but everytime I look at Pentax compacts I see stuff thats been done before by someone else.

True but roughly the same holds for the CX and PX'es. Then again I think that holds for almost all compact cams, apart from the advanced/serious compacts there's little differentiation between them. And maybe worse this is a declining part of the market.

I also forgot that Pentax has a bridge camera in their line-up. Not sure if these products are still selling like they used to.

Anyway let's hope that they make the right decisions. They can always ask our help There's a lot of value in both companies and together this can turn out in a great product line-up.

 

[Klaatu]

Hi everybody,

one thing is sure. Both companies have a headquarter in a lot of countries. There is no need for that. So, one will close. The question is, witch one. Both companies have there own salesman on the road. There is no need for that anymore. So, a lot of boys and girls will loose there jobs. Two services: the same. Two publicity departments: the same, aso, aso..........

The question is, who will survive. I am sure, the "kicking around" already started. All over the world. I saw something like this before ( Minolta and Konica ). I hope Ricoh and his stuff will be in charge. They did a great job in the last years. Pentax did not. They had and have a big problem because of there products. They put, like all the other ones too, a lot of money into the DSLR market. But it is not running good for Pentax ( and Olympus, and Sony......andandand )

pray for Ricoh......

all the best - Markus