As part of the strategy to grow its digital workplace transformation offering, Ricoh has announced a definitive agreement to acquire DocuWare, a leading provider of content services software.
The transaction is expected to close this summer, subject to receiving clearance from the relevant competition authorities in Germany and Austria, and other customary closing conditions. Following completion of the deal, DocuWare will operate as a subsidiary of Ricoh, with Dr. Michael Berger and Max Ertl remaining as co-presidents.
Jim Coriddi, vice president, dealer division for Ricoh Americas, feels the deal is yet another example of how the company is investing in the future, with a focus on growing both organically and through acquisition. The ultimate goal is helping dealer partners grow their business.
“This acquisition strengthens Ricoh’s ability to further empower digital workplaces for its customers and its dealer’s customers,” Coriddi said. “At the same time, it is important to note that DocuWare will continue to operate as a separate company, so it will be business as usual for any Ricoh Family Group (RFG) dealer partners who are working with DocuWare or any other content services software companies, such as Laserfiche.
“Ricoh is committed to supporting our RFG dealer network, helping them deliver the strongest customer value in the industry. At ConvergX last year, we discussed Ricoh Ignite, our global growth strategy and this year, we’re looking forward to meeting with RFG Dealer Principles at ConvergX (Nov. 18-21 in Las Vegas) to discuss this acquisition and the many ways Ricoh is working to support their businesses.”
Headquartered in Germany and the United States, DocuWare provides cloud and on-premises document management and workflow automation software to more than 12,000 customers in more than 90 countries across the globe through a network of 600 partners.
“We are intent on building a thriving business which meets the growing need of companies around the world to digitize their businesses and workplaces, wherever they may be,” said David Mills, corporate senior vice president, Ricoh Company Ltd. “We see a strong demand from our customers to maximize the value of their documents and business content to support their growth. The agreement we have made with DocuWare, which has a market-leading, cloud-first content services offering, is a hugely significant step in meeting that need. We are delighted at the additional capabilities we will be able to offer current and new customers.”
Ricoh has a long-term existing partnership with DocuWare and employs its software both internally in its own operations and with existing customers. “DocuWare takes the pain and cost out of business processes, helping reduce human error and, importantly, improve business efficiency to free up valuable employee time,” Mills remarked. “Our ambition at Ricoh is to empower digital workplaces. What that means in practice is connecting people to information faster and more conveniently, improving communication and creativity. The synergy between Ricoh and DocuWare speaks directly to this ambition.
“DocuWare already seamlessly integrates with our new IM C series of multifunction printers, through Ricoh Smart Integration, providing customers with a simple, secure way of scanning documents and feeding them directly into a highly effective, intelligent workflow process. As a longtime partner, Ricoh understands the power of DocuWare’s channel to deliver document management and workflow automation solutions to customers. Ricoh wants to strengthen and grow this route to market and is committed to helping and learning from DocuWare and its management team.”
In a joint statement, Dr. Berger and Ertl commented, “DocuWare has a bold growth plan, and that includes enabling current and future partners with leading document management and workflow automation technology. Having Ricoh as a strong investor and owner gives us the certainty that we can achieve our goals and continue to be a reliable, trustworthy and innovative provider for the entire DocuWare partner and customer community.”
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About Ricoh
Ricoh is empowering digital workplaces using innovative technologies and services enabling individuals to work smarter. For more than 80 years, Ricoh has been driving innovation and is a leading provider of document management solutions, IT services, commercial and industrial printing, digital cameras, and industrial systems.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2019, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,013 billion yen (approx. 18.1 billion USD).
About DocuWare
DocuWare office automation solutions deliver smart digital workflow and document control that set a new pace for worker productivity and business performance. DocuWare’s zero-compromise cloud services are a recognized best-fit for digitizing, automating and transforming key processes. DocuWare operates in 90 countries with headquarters in Germany and the U.S.
