Ricoh, a provider of digital office equipment, has formed a global alliance with IBM. The alliance is expected to provide customers with document services leveraging Ricoh and IBM’s capabilities to address customers’ business problems.
As part of the alliance, the companies are expected to first launch a new Ricoh offering, document security and management services (DSMS) in the US. This system helps customers improve their document workflow, security and compliance, while reducing the total cost of ownership of office equipment investment and advancing environmental sustainability practices.
According to Ricoh, the DSMS offering includes assessment and deployment, end user services, managed services, security, green office and enterprise content management services, which will be delivered by Ricoh document solutions and services division and IBM’s global technology services.
In addition, Ricoh has an agreement to resell IBM’s Managed Server offering and collaborate on the sale and delivery of IBM software, hardware and services, such as end user services, internet security systems services, business continuity & resiliency services, and storage & data services.
Ricoh and IBM have also signed an agreement to demonstrate multi-function product (MFP)-based services that fully integrate with a corporation’s IT applications and infrastructure and are based on the principles of service oriented architecture (SOA). The MFP extends SOA environments to help drive efficiencies and lower IT costs, the two companies said.
Hede Nonaka, general manager of document solutions and services division at Ricoh Company, said: We are very excited to combine Ricoh’s leadership in digital office equipment with IBM’s expansive technology portfolio. Enterprises are requiring more integrated technologies to create rapid return on investment and this global strategic alliance allows Ricoh and IBM to provide innovative solutions that meet these demands.
