Ricoh Announces Integration of Consumer Camera Marketing into Pentax Ricoh Imaging Americas...

Ricoh Announces Integration of Consumer Camera Marketing into Pentax Ricoh Imaging Americas Corp.

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Denver, CO—Pentax Ricoh Imaging, based in Tokyo, Japan, announced the formation of a new subsidiary company, Pentax Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation (Pentax), with headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Effective April 1, 2012, Pentax assumed responsibility for the sales and marketing initiatives for Ricoh Americas’ entire line of consumer cameras, including the GRD4 and the Ricoh GXR.

The line of Ricoh-branded consumer cameras now joins Pentax point-and-shoot and interchangeable-lens digital cameras, including digital SLRs, to create a centralized business subsidiary for marketing, distribution and sales of all of the company’s consumer cameras.

“We are excited about incorporating Ricoh cameras like the GXR and GRD4 into our current product offering,” said Ned Bunnell, president of Pentax Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. “The addition of these advanced enthusiast cameras will bolster our product line, extend the reach of our brand and provide new options for our customers and retailers.”

The new strategy will allow Ricoh Americas to focus on imaging solutions for its business-to-business markets, including real estate, automotive, insurance and security. In addition, ruggedized models, including the Ricoh G700 and G700SE, will be distributed directly and through a network of Value Added Resellers (VARs) to specialized markets such as the military, law enforcement, energy, utilities and other applications where an extreme working environment is present, or the need to preserve the integrity of an original image is essential.

“Pentax has a long and respected heritage in photography, as well as an established distribution channel,” said Yuki Uchida, vice president, Strategic Program Support and New Business Development, Ricoh Americas Corporation. “By integrating Ricoh-branded consumer cameras under the Pentax marketing umbrella, we are able to expand retail distribution of Ricoh cameras. In addition, this will benefit Ricoh Americas by allowing us to maintain, and build, our portfolio of business-to-business camera solutions for healthcare, Geographic Information Systems, law enforcement and other business needs.”

Camera maintenance and repair for all Pentax and Ricoh consumer cameras will continue to be handled by its consumer camera repair service in Arizona. Consumer digital camera customers in need of phone support can call the toll-free support line, which is now a single, unified resource for all owners of Pentax or Ricoh consumer cameras. The support line, which has been optimized to ensure timely and effective resolutions for support-related needs, can be reached at 1-800-877-0155. pentaximaging.com

90-year-old Pentax produces adventure-ready digital cameras, including weather-resistant DSLRs and stylish, compact, waterproof cameras, as well as lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes and eyepieces. Ricoh Americas Corporation, headquartered in West Caldwell, New Jersey, is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company, Ltd., the 76-year-old provider of advanced office technology and document imaging products, services and software. pentaximaging.com

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