Ricoh strengthens sustainable digital production printing for MEA markets
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Digital production printing is rapidly becoming the technical foundation of modern print operations across the Middle East. As printers adapt to shorter runs, higher variability, and increasing sustainability expectations, digital technologies—across toner, inkjet, workflow, and automation—are moving from complementary tools to core production systems.
Gulf Print & Pack increasingly reflects this shift, with digital print now central to how commercial printers and converters approach efficiency, responsiveness, and future readiness. From print-on-demand and transactional work to emerging carton-based applications, technology integration is defining the next phase of production printing.
Within this evolving landscape, Ricoh has sharpened its production print strategy around the integration of sustainability, automation, and lifecycle efficiency across both toner and inkjet platforms. Against the backdrop of Gulf Print & Pack—and Ricoh’s planned technology launches and regional premieres at the show—Ben Daniel, Chief Editor of Packaging MEA, speaks with Dennis Moll Commercial Director RGC, Ricoh International B.V.., to examine Ricoh’s technology priorities, the shifting balance between digital and conventional print, and how workflow and automation are enabling scalable, sustainable production across the MEA region.
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Ben: As regional digital and on-demand print providers face growing sustainability mandates alongside productivity and cost pressures, how does Ricoh’s production print strategy deliver environmental performance while scaling efficiently to meet rising market demand?
Dennis Moll:
Sustainability is not an add-on for Ricoh; it is embedded in how we design, manufacture, and support our production printing technologies. Our environmental journey started decades ago, and today it translates into digital systems that reduce waste, lower energy consumption, and support on-demand production. In commercial printing, this means enabling shorter runs, variable data, and faster turnaround without overproduction—while still maintaining consistent quality and predictable costs.
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Q: As printers strategically reassess their production mix, how do digital printing technologies compare with offset and traditional processes in terms of cost economics, sustainability performance, and operational agility?
Dennis Moll:
Lifecycle comparison studies indicate that both toner- and inkjet-based production platforms can deliver materially lower carbon emissions for short- to medium-run applications. From a commercial perspective, this advantage extends beyond sustainability, enabling improved cash flow, reduced inventory and storage costs, and faster response to changing customer demand.
At a fundamental level, digital printing supports true on-demand production—allowing printers to produce only what is needed, when it is needed. This significantly reduces the structural waste associated with offset processes, including make-ready sheets and excess inventory that often becomes obsolete.
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Q: With margin protection and waste reduction now critical priorities, where does Ricoh see the strongest value proposition for its toner-based production systems in high-quality commercial and print-for-packaging applications?
Dennis Moll:
Toner-based platforms like the RICOH Pro™ C9500 are designed for high-quality commercial print and selected carton-based applications where consistency, media flexibility, and colour stability are essential. Automation features such as automatic colour management, front-to-back registration, and remote maintenance reduce setup time and reprints, which directly impacts operating margins. Importantly, these systems can handle recycled papers, lightweight stocks, and long sheets, supporting sustainability without limiting application scope.
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Q: And on the inkjet side—what role does it play in today’s production environments?
Dennis Moll:
High-speed inkjet is particularly well-suited for transactional printing, books, direct mail, and hybrid workflows that demand scale, speed, and predictability. Ricoh’s inkjet platforms focus on energy-efficient drying, reduced ink waste, and advanced automation to deliver stable output over long runs. For many MEA printers, inkjet is becoming a strategic complement to toner, enabling them to address a wider range of applications with consistent productivity.
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Q: As modern print environments move toward leaner, more automated operations, how do Ricoh’s workflow and automation solutions translate productivity gains into long-term operational and environmental performance?
Dennis Moll:
They are absolutely critical. Hardware alone cannot deliver efficiency. Workflow solutions such as automated job batching and colour adjustment help printers consolidate jobs, minimise changeovers, and maintain colour consistency across runs. This reduces waste, improves uptime, and allows operations to scale without adding unnecessary complexity or labour.
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Q: Finally, how does Ricoh support customers in the MEA region specifically?
Dennis Moll:
The MEA market requires strong local support. Ricoh works through a robust regional channel partner network that provides service, application expertise, and lifecycle support. Beyond technology, we collaborate closely with printers, brand owners, and partners on co-innovation projects that address real environmental and operational challenges. This combination of technology, workflow, and regional presence enables printers to grow sustainably while remaining commercially competitive.
