Ricoh closes down main factories in EU

[Rawfa]

Ricoh is closing down many of their main factories in EU

http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/...s-oficinas-division-fotografica-europa,1_5978
Check it out (it's in spanish): http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/...s-oficinas-division-fotografica-europa,1_5978

 

[pollobarca]

Really, all service has been in Germany for quite some time now.
When I first spoke to Ricoh service, 2 years ago , I called the Italian office then was passed to the uk , directly, and emailed with Germany, who gave me a service ref number. For repair work I would have sent it to the Italian office who would then send it to Germany.I took the Ricoh advice that my files (which I had sent to them) were within the norm for the dark pixels. I was already in love with the camera and wanted it with me always! 10 days was too long a seperation.
EU is really only one country now ( well financially and customs tax wise) so there is no big deal sending to Germany for repair. Makes sense for ALL companies to do this sort of thing. Shame about the workers .
Olympus fix some in Italy still, but have a lot of repair work in the Czech republic. All their medical gear is done in Czech rep. it seems. Oly in Italy is handled by Polyphoto.

 

[Oxide Blu]

Not surprised -- more surprised Ricoh's doors are still open.

Posted July 27, 2009 (1/2-year ago):

Also, not that it necessary means anything, but Ricoh's corp profits are off by something like 97%.

Ricoh is a copier company; the insignificant (as far as revenues are concerned) camera division is/was the only profitable part of the company when I posted that above. If I recall, the camera div was in the black by under $2-million/year. Not enough to carry Ricoh. But Ricoh is huge, won't go away overnight, like Gen Motors.

 

[pollobarca]

All,
the factories arent closed, my camera says "made In PRC" not Spain.
Wheres the point in having service stations spread round europe when all you need is one in the centre? Dussledorf is pretty central to europe.
Check out the Ricoh site, not just copiers either.
Olympus , for some years now, have been repairing in the czech republic. I know, where I worked we were shipping out cameras and other gear for repair every day.
Anyway if Ricoh go bust I still have a great little camera while it lasts! When that busts
I can get another one, perhaps a Fuji or Pany.... As they say in Italy, when a Pope dies they make another one !
all the best

paul

 

[pjphoto59]

I imagine that the factory at Dussledorf can easily handle camera repairs and service from all over Europe.

I have just had a GX100 refurbished. Posted it to Ricoh in the UK. They sent it to Germany where it was refurbished and sent back direct to me by UPS.

The service was prompt and efficient and the people I dealt with in the UK and Germany were most helpful.

Well done Ricoh!

PeterJ

 

[Oxide Blu]

My personal experience with Ricoh service for my GRD2 camera (I killed it) is that Ricoh is perhaps the best of any service, ever, for anything.

That said, Ricoh is a copier company. The world economy, as a whole, is depressed. Copiers/printers aren't selling -- Ricoh is in a bind ... in a very big way.

As Paul mentions, Ricoh is diversafied. But that diversity is insignificant to Ricoh's operating costs as a copier company (and to a much smaller degree an office automation company). Fwiw, Ricoh recently entered into the realm of offering digital pic distribution services via quasi-cloud software. See here:

http://www.quanp.com/us/

 

[pollobarca]

Yes,
I signed up for the Beta Test. I am not a US resident so I lied about my post code!
Its a long way from being satisfactory, Beta testing, but the image reproduction on my old Laptop is fantastic. It also allows previewing of DNG files. From the forum it looks like Ricoh are seriously listening to the users.
Apparently Google have something similar too.

all the best

paul

 

[Vobluda]

Hi,
Could someone please provide me direct email contact to Ricoh Germany repair center?
Thank you in advance.