Ricoh Corporation Receives Top Honors From U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Business Wire, March 22, 2000

Business Editors/Environmental & High Tech Writers

WEST CALDWELL, NJ--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2000

Dedication to Environmental Standards and Education

Earns Ricoh Three Energy Star(R) Awards

Ricoh Corporation, a leading provider of digital imaging systems has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) highest Energy Star awards.

Ricoh was honored with the Energy Star 2000 Labeling Partner of the Year award; the Excellence in Consumer Education award; and for the fifth year in a row Ricoh received an industry specific Office Equipment Partner of the Year award, in recognition of its dedication to developing and manufacturing energy-efficient imaging products.

The awards were presented to Ricoh during a ceremony on Tuesday, March 21, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

"Ricoh's work in consumer education has made it possible for consumers throughout the country to learn about the benefits of looking for the Energy Star label when they shop for products," said EPA Climate Protection Division Director Kathleen Hogan. "The EPA values its partnership with Ricoh and is looking forward to continued success in the future."

In accepting the Energy Star awards, Katsumi "Kirk" Yoshida, President and CEO of Ricoh Corporation said, "Ricoh is proud to be such a significant contributor to conservation and protection of the nation's precious environmental resources. Through our initiatives to develop the most environmentally sound, and high-performance products, we can continue to offer our customers energy efficient, unparalleled digital imaging solutions for their businesses."

Michael W. Sarasin, Director, Corporate Quality Assurance and Environmental Administration, for Ricoh Corporation, addressed a Congressional briefing on March 21, sponsored by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, on how Ricoh has led the office equipment industry in promoting energy efficiency. Sarasin described how manufacturing Energy Star products and aggressively promoting and marketing their advanced energy-saving features delivers the message that energy efficient technologies are high-performers in the fast paced world of today's office.

Ricoh received the Excellence in Consumer Education award for its initiatives designed to raise awareness of the Energy Star programs and the benefits of energy efficient products. Ricoh has made significant strides toward ensuring that its resellers can educate customers about environmentally conscious products through Energy Star training programs for representatives of more than 1,000 resellers in North America. In 1999, Ricoh unveiled its interactive, multimedia forum on the Internet, The Energy Star Experience (www.energystarexperience.com), which was designed to teach consumers about the environmental and economical benefits of Energy Star products.

"We believe it is vitally important to educate business professionals and consumers about the benefits of the Energy Star program," Sarasin said. "Through these initiatives, we also reaffirm our commitment to manufacturing top quality products that meet the stringent requirements of the Energy Star program."

About Energy Star Programs

The U.S. EPA's and the U.S. DOE's Energy Star programs foster the creation and use of energy-efficient products and technologies through voluntary partnerships between government and industry. These products and technologies, ranging from windows to computers to building heating systems, use energy more efficiently and prevent pollution at the same time.

The Energy Star programs were founded in 1991 in an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and help prevent global climate change. Participants in Energy Star programs manufacture, distribute and use products and technologies that require less energy to operate than other similar products and technologies in the marketplace. In 1998, Energy Star products alone reduced energy consumption by an estimated 16 billion kilowatt-hours, saving U.S. consumers more than $1 billion in energy bills.

About Ricoh Corporation

Ricoh Corporation, headquartered in West Caldwell, NJ, is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 64-year-old leading supplier of office automation equipment with 1998 sales in excess of $11.8 billion.

Ricoh Corporation is a diversified office equipment and electronics provider. The company is a pioneer in the development of computer-connected and digital multifunctional document systems, and is a market leader in color and black & white digital imaging systems, facsimile products, printers, scanners, digital duplicators and wide format engineering systems. Ricoh has received the 1998 and 1999 Energy Star Imaging Equipment Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - the EPA's highest industry award. Ricoh was chosen for its commitment to the environment and its extraordinary leadership role in promoting and producing energy efficient copiers, facsimile machines, printers and scanners. In addition, Ricoh has received the Market Research Consultants Digital Copier Manufacturer of the Year Award for 1996, 1997 and 1998. Ricoh is also the recipient of Business Marketing Magazine's Top 200 business-to-business web sites for 1999. Information about Ricoh's complete range of products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.ricoh-usa.com.