Commenting on the agreement, Andy Vels Jensen, managing director of Heidelberg ANZ told Australian Printer the move would have no impact on Heidelberg’s relationship with Konica Minolta.
He says, “The local sales agreement between Heidelberg Australia and Konica Minolta Australia is not affected by the Heidelberg and Ricoh agreement. We have an exclusive agreement with Konica Minolta, so no Ricoh sales for HAN.
“We enjoy an excellent partnership with Konica Minolta in Australia; one that has seen us sell two digital presses a month since commencing the exclusive cooperation.”
Jensen continues, “The partnership we entered into with Konica Minolta has been excellent, fully living up to our expectations. At this point in time I see no reason why this cooperation should change.”
While excuding Australia the new agreement enables Heidelberg to sell Ricoh’s latest colour digital press, the Ricoh Pro C901 Graphic Arts Edition – Ricoh`s high speed colour digital press with Ricoh PxP Chemical toner, which will be marketed under the Saphira brand, as well as appropriate future production printing offerings in Ricoh’s pipeline.
Heidelberg will sell the Pro C901 as a stand alone solution, but its main aim will be to market it as part of an integrated package, with the Anicolor 52 small offset press with an integrated Prinect workflow. In Australia Heidelberg is marketing a similar concept, with Anicolor, the bizhub Pro, and Prinect workflow, in fact its Open House on Tuesday (March 1) will highlight this configuration.
The global strategic cooperation, which includes Ricoh services and support, will start in April 2011.
The first markets will be UK and Germany with a phased rollout to follow in other geographies with completion targeted for drupa 2012.
Ricoh is the world’s biggest office products manufacturer, and entered the commercial graphic arts market in a serious way at drupa 2008. Since then it has been making significant investments, with Australia no exception.
It formed a new division under the leadership of former EFI high flyer Kathy Wilson, took on a whole new team, and opened a new showroom and training centre in Sydney’s CBD.
Also commenting, Hiro Kaji, managing director of Konica Minolta Australia says, “Our relationship with Heidelberg has been extremely successful with strong demand from customers.
“Both companies are committed to continuing this partnership in Australia and it will not be affected by developments on a global level. Working with Heidelberg and Kodak at PrintEx in May is another example of how local partnerships can work very well.”
Heidelberg is the world’s biggest offset manufacturer, although the GFC rocked the company. Its main rival manroland signed a similar agreement with Océ – now owned by Ricoh rival Canon – late last year.
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