Ricoh and California Polytechnic State University open digital printing laboratory

As part of Ricoh’s strategic focus on the digital production printing market, the company has partnered with Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department to benefit students and the industry alike. As the cornerstone of the laboratory, Ricoh donated a fully configured Pro C900S digital color production printing system to the university’s Graphic Communication Department, with on-going service donated by IKON, a Ricoh company. The partnership was first announced at Print ’09 in September of last year.

The Ricoh Digital Printing Laboratory will provide benefits for students, printing professionals, and the industry as a whole. Students enrolled in Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication curriculum are exposed to Ricoh technology via the school’s experiential "learn by doing" approach to education. The Pro C900S is also central to Cal Poly’s student run and managed printing and publishing company: University Graphic Systems (UGS). This exposure to both digital printing technology, and the business of running a print shop, helps prepare students for industry leadership positions. The Digital Printing Laboratory will also play a role in special student projects, offering research and testing capabilities, such as allowing senior-level students and faculty to provide product evaluations on system performance related to quality, productivity, color management, and substrate and toner handling. Seminars and workshops will also be made available to Ricoh customers, providing the ability to explore emerging trends in digital printing markets and applications.

"Our vision was to align with a leading educational institution focused on our industry, and to provide value to students and the graphic communication industry as a whole," said Carl Joachim, vice president of Marketing, PPBG, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "Giving back to our industry, and ensuring our customers prosper, is a social responsibility we are deeply committed to. It was clear from our first meeting together, that Ricoh and Cal Poly hold shared values."