Ricoh's Print Director Software Wins Buyers Laboratory 'Pick of the Year' Award

WEST CALDWELL, N.J., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of digital office equipment, today announced that its Print Director software has won a Fall 2007 "Pick of the Year" award from Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI) in the "Outstanding Print Management and Cost Recovery Solution" category.

As part of the evaluation process, the Print Director software performed extremely well during BLI's in-depth lab tests, especially in the installation and ease-of-use categories. With its simple and flexible set-up process, the client software can be automatically pushed out to all workstations on local and remote networks in one quick step. In addition, Print Director demonstrated extraordinary compatibility among printers and multifunction products (MFPs), with both Ricoh and competitor devices.

"Ricoh has gained a great understanding of what Total Cost of Ownership solutions are needed to improve a business's bottom line," said Hede Nonaka, senior vice president, Document Solutions and Services Division, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "Being recognized by BLI with a Fall 2007 'Pick of the Year' award truly validates our hard work and is a tribute to the world-class solutions Ricoh offers."

The BLI "Pick of the Year" awards are presented semi-annually to the products and software solutions that perform best in their respective categories based on in-depth lab tests performed by BLI experts. In the case of the awards for solutions, each product is evaluated in all critical performance areas including value, ease of use, ease of administration, hardware compatibility, software integration, security and support.

About Buyers Laboratory

For more than 45 years, Buyers Laboratory has been the leading independent office-equipment testing lab and business consumer advocate. In addition to publishing the industry's most comprehensive and accurate test reports on office document imaging devices, each representing months of exhaustive hands- on testing in BLI's US and UK laboratories, the company has been the leading source for extensive databases of specifications and pricing on copiers, printers, fax machines and multifunctional products. The company's databases cover 10,000 products and have a long-standing reputation for being the industry's most trustworthy and complete source for global competitive intelligence. They are available to BLI subscribers online via the company's bliQ competitive information service. This encyclopedic resource also provides quick and easy access to BLI's First Look Reports, Field Test Reports, Lab Test Reports, Solutions Reports, Digital Imaging Review and Business Consumer's Advisor newsletters and OEM library.

In addition to the testing of office equipment for its subscribers, Buyers Laboratory provides a vast array of confidential for-hire private testing services that include document imaging device beta and pre-launch testing, performance certification testing, consumables testing (such as toner, ink and photoconductors), software and solutions and print media testing (including virgin and recycled papers).

For more information on Buyers Laboratory, please call (201) 488-0404, visit www.buyerslab.com or e-mail info@buyerslab.com.

About Ricoh's Document Solutions & Services Division

The Document Solutions & Services Division (DSS) of Ricoh Americas Corporation is leading the industry with a portfolio of software solutions that transform paper documents into information that easily integrates into existing business workflows to measurably improve document workflow efficiencies. DSS is committed to creating new "document-centric" customer value that will revolutionize how individuals and businesses use digital and paper-based information.

DSS offers a complete package of products, services and support programs to all of our channels, comprising of direct and indirect operations under the Ricoh, Savin, and Lanier brands.

Ricoh Corporation, founded in 1962, is headquartered in West Caldwell, N.J., and is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 71-year old leading supplier of office automation equipment.

    CONTACT:  Russell Marchetta                   Andrew Stein
              Ricoh Americas Corporation          Peppercom
              (973) 882-2075                      (212) 931-6190
              russell.marchetta@ricoh-usa.com     astein@peppercom.com