Ricoh SA has reported a successful 2013 Africa Print Expo, generating close to 200 leads and confirming two device sales.
One of the machines sold to a print service provider in Gauteng was the Ricoh Pro C751 production colour device while the other was the recently launched colour wide format MP CW2200.
The show continues to bring dividends, said Vaughan Patterson, sales manager for the production printing business group at Ricoh SA. Last year, many attendees found the Ricoh brand a new experience, particularly in the production printing arena, but this year they knew the brand, had been exposed to the equipment and solutions and were better educated. The various technology and solution sessions we hosted at our stand also helped tremendously to gain exposure for our expertise and specialties.
Dawie Malan, head of software sales at Ricoh SA, said, Web-to-print garnered the most attention from a software solution perspective from Africa Print attendees, which was promising in a market where companies generally worry about the return on investment as these are normally totally unchartered waters for them.
Dierdre Fernandes, marketing events, CSR, PR and sponsorship co-ordinator at Ricoh SA, said, The show was well attended again this year. The addition of the technology and solution sessions gave us greater brand, product and solution exposure.
Patterson said the new Pro 8100S, a monochrome digital production device that offers a duty cycle of three million pages per month, drew a great deal of attention. Central reproduction plants (CRDs) want to improve efficiencies and redirect more in-house print volumes through the print room. Speed, quality and affordability are essential to meet the needs of their in-house clients. Quality and reliability, alongside the ability to complete important jobs quickly, are essential for print service providers managing outsourced accounts.
He also welcomed the proposed new venue for next year’s show, which will take place Gallagher Estate, as it will make the expo accessible to visitors. We believe that will have a direct impact on the number of visitors and therefore the return on our investment in the show, he said.
Ricoh SA was awarded second place for Best Stand among the expo’s biggest stands.
