Technology group Ricoh says it has increased its investment in its operations in South Africa as\u00a0part of a strategy to expand its presence in key emerging markets.<\/p>\n
The initiatives will also drive new employment opportunities in the region, the group said.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the group confirmed a figure of R200 million for growth in\u00a0South Africa, seen as an important focus for the group in EMEA.<\/p>\n
According to Ricoh, the investments will further enhance its direct customer interactions and enable it to stay at the forefront of their document management needs.<\/p>\n
There are three new initiatives; the launch of Ricoh Capital South Africa; an optimised supply chain process and infrastructure enhancements. Combined they also ensure Ricoh has a more streamlined approach to account management, it said.<\/p>\n
Ricoh Capital South Africa will provide clients with the option to take on leases or service contracts and enjoy all the benefits of Ricoh solutions without capital outlay. They will also have the convenience of managing their entire document solution including service and software into one regular payment.<\/p>\n
The review and optimisation of the supply chain process resulted in Ricoh diverting stock management and distribution to Ricoh Europe\u2019s operations in the Netherlands. As a result Ricoh SA gained savings of R100 million which will be reinvested into the business and provide infrastructure enhancements, social responsibility and skills development, the group said.<\/p>\n
Infrastructure enhancements are part of an EMEA-wide, project designed to streamline Ricoh\u2019s business processes.<\/p>\n
Richard Pinker, MD of Ricoh SA, said: \u201cOur region is an important focus for Ricoh in EMEA and our team is energised to further increase our client services and contribute to the overall Ricoh growth strategy. Our business focuses upon optimising document processes and improving the interaction between people and information.<\/p>\n
“Our technology heritage and experience means that we can help organisations to be ready to meet the future challenges presented by the impacts of new technologies and the increase ininformation. We look forward to continue working with organisations in South Africa to further understand how we can help them to reduce costs, streamline document processes and even enhance security, while making realtime informed decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
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