Ricoh strengthens digital workplace capabilities with DocuWare acquisition

Ricoh Company, Ltd., (Tokyo, Japan) today announced a definitive agreement to acquire DocuWare, a leading provider of Content Services software.

Headquartered in Germany and the United States, DocuWare provides cloud and on-premise document management and workflow automation software to over 12,000 customers in more than 90 countries across the globe through a network of 600 partners.

David Mills, Corporate Senior Vice President, Ricoh Company Ltd, says: “We are intent on building a thriving business which meets the growing need of companies around the world to digitise their businesses and workplaces, wherever they may be. We see a strong demand from our customers to maximize the value of their documents and business content to support their growth. The agreement we have made with DocuWare, which has a market-leading, cloud-first content services offering, is a hugely significant step in meeting that need. We are delighted at the additional capabilities we will be able to offer current and new customers.”

Ricoh has a long-term existing partnership with DocuWare, and employs its software both internally in its own operations and with existing customers. Mills adds: “DocuWare takes the pain and cost out of business processes, helping reduce human error and, importantly, improve business efficiency to free-up valuable employee time. Our ambition at Ricoh is to ‘empower digital workplaces'. What that means in practice, is connecting people to information faster and more conveniently, improving communication and creativity; the synergy between Ricoh and DocuWare speaks directly to this ambition. DocuWare will operate as a standalone subsidiary of Ricoh and we are committed to maintaining and growing its hugely successful partner programme, through expanding its channel network and investing in further product development. DocuWare already seamlessly integrates with our new IM C series of multifunction printers, through Ricoh Smart Integration, providing customers with a simple, secure way of scanning documents and feeding them directly into a highly effective, intelligent workflow process.”

Mills continues: “As a long-time partner, Ricoh understands the power of DocuWare's channel to deliver document management and workflow automation solutions to customers. Ricoh wants to strengthen and grow this route to market and is committed to helping and learning from DocuWare and its management team.

Dr. Michael Berger and Max Ertl, presidents of DocuWare, summarise: “DocuWare has a bold growth plan, and that includes enabling current and future partners with leading document management and workflow automation technology. Having Ricoh as a strong investor and owner gives us the certainty that we can achieve our goals and continue to be a reliable, trustworthy and innovative provider for the entire DocuWare partner and customer community.”

Ricoh has been investing in digital workplace services by growing both organically and through acquisition. The acquisition of DocuWare is in line with Ricoh's strategy to grow its digital workplace transformation offering.

The deal with DocuWare is expected to close over Summer 2019, subject to receiving clearance from the relevant competition authorities in Germany and Austria and completion of other customary closing conditions. Following completion of the deal, DocuWare will operate as a subsidiary of Ricoh with Dr Michael Berger and Max Ertl remaining as presidents.