FORM 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of August, 2004
Commission File Number 2 - 68279
RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
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(Translation of Registrant's name into English)
15-5, Minami-Aoyama 1-Chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8544, Japan
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)
Form 20-F X Form 40-F __
(Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): __ )
(Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): __ )
(Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this
Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934.)
Yes __ No X
(If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-__ )
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
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(Registrant)
By: /S/ Zenji Miura
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Zenji Miura
Managing Director
Executive Vice President
General Manager of the
Finance & Accounting Division
August 9, 2004
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Ricoh and Hitachi signed Agreement on Ricoh's acquisition of
Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd.
Tokyo, August 9, 2004 --- Ricoh Co., Ltd. (TSE:7752 / 'Ricoh') and Hitachi, Ltd.
(NYSE:HIT / TSE:6501 / 'Hitachi') today announced that the two companies have
signed an agreement to the effect that Hitachi will transfer all its shares of
Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd. ('Hitachi PRS'), a 100% owned subsidiary, to
Ricoh. Both companies had agreed on a basic agreement on March 31, 2004. Details
are as follows:
Main contents of the agreement ;
1. Ricoh will acquire 100 % shares of Hitachi PRS.
2. After the transfer of shares, the contractual relationship between Hitachi
and Hitachi PRS will basically remain unchanged.
3. After the transfer of shares, the president of Hitachi PRS will be
Mr. Toshiaki Katayama.
In accordance with this agreement, Ricoh will acquire Hitachi PRS, thus enhance
and expand printer business, which is an important pillar of its growth
strategy. The participation of Hitachi PRS in the Ricoh group will reinforce
Ricoh product lines for the office color printer, mission-critical systems and
POD, or print-on-demand, markets. Through these initiatives, Ricoh will
optimize "Total Document Volume" as the strategic objective of its imaging
solutions business. Also, by adding the IT sales channels of Hitachi PRS to its
conventional PPC/MFP sales channel, Ricoh can expect the synergy effect to
expand printer business.
Hitachi, for its part, is making every possible effort to ensure that all its
businesses win in the global marketplace in accordance with its mid-term
business plan: "i.e.HITACHI Plan II." This agreement was made within the
context of this plan. Hitachi sees printers as important products for its
information and communication systems business and intends to provide its
customers with even higher valued-added solutions, maintaining all the while a
strong business partnership with Ricoh.
After the transfer of shares, new name of the company will be "Ricoh Printing
Systems, Ltd.".
1. Corporate profile of Hitachi PRS
(1)Name Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd.
(Will be changed to Ricoh Printing Systems
in October 2004)
(2)President Toshiaki Katayama
President and Chief Executive Officer
(3)Address 15-1, Konan 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
(4)Date of incorporation October, 2002
(5)Business content Printers and related equipment, software
development, product development, design,
production and marketing
(6)Fiscal year-end March 31
(7)Number of employees 820 (Group 2,200) as of March, 2004
(8)Capital stock 5,000 million yen (Number of shares held 100,000)
(9)Net sales About 60,000 million yen (fiscal year ended in
March 2004)
2. Changes in share holding ratios
Current Ricoh 0% Hitachi 100%
After the transfer (plan) Ricoh 100% Hitachi 0%
3. Schedule
Scheduled transfer of shares: October 2004
4. Influence on Ricoh and Hitachi consolidated financial figures
Ricoh will announce it at the time when the forecast for the latter half of
fiscal 2004, ended on March 31, 2005, is released.
Influence to Hitachi is rather limited.
About Ricoh
A pioneer in digital office equipment, Ricoh offers a broad range of office
solutions with world class support and services, including MFPs, printers, fax
machines, CD-R and DVD+ReWritable drives and media. With 381 consolidated
subsidiaries worldwide, employing approximately 73,200 people, the Ricoh Group
posted consolidated total sales of 1,780.2 billion yen for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2004.
About Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT/ TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a
leading global electronics company, with approximately 326,000 employees
worldwide. Fiscal 2003 (ended March 31, 2004) consolidated sales totaled
8,632.4 billion yen ($81.4 billion). The company offers a wide range of
systems, products and services in market sectors, including information
systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products,
materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit
the company's Web site at http://www.hitachi.com.
Contact:
Ricoh Company, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd.
Takanobu Matsunami(Japan) Yasuo Hirano
+81-3-5411-4511 +81-3-3258-2056(Japan)
koho@ricoh.co.jp yasuo_hirano@hdq.hitachi.co.jp
Hitachi America, Ltd.
Matt Takahashi, 650-244-7902 (U.S.)
masahiro.takahashi@hal.hitachi.com
Hitachi (China) Investment, Ltd.
Yuji Hoshino, +86-10-6590-8141 (China)
y_hoshino@hitachi.com.cn
Hitachi Europe Ltd.
Kantaro Tanii, +44-1628-585379 (U.K.)
kantaro.tanii@hitachi-eu.com