Ricoh Logo PNG
The Ricoh logo is bright and fiery. The emblem represents a flash of light and laser beams, reflecting the company’s core business. It demonstrates progress, innovation, leadership, and active growth and expansion.
Ricoh began through RIKEN, Japan’s Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, which wanted to commercialize its inventions through Rikagaku Kogyo. On February 6, 1936, Kiyoshi Ichimura separated its sensitized paper division and registered it as Riken Kankoshi Co., Ltd. The company started with 350,000 yen in capital and 33 employees.
In 1938, after entering camera production, Ichimura renamed the business Riken Optical Co., Ltd. and released the Olympic 4 camera. After World War II, wartime work in film chemicals and lens design was redirected to civilian products. In 1950, the Ricohflex III helped create Japan’s first mass-production camera system.
Ricoh’s main shift came in 1955 with the Ricopy 101, Japan’s first office copier. It spread so widely that “to make a Ricopy” entered Japanese speech as a phrase for copying. The copier business later became the company’s foundation, with Xerox as its main rival. In 1962, Ricoh founded Ricoh Industries USA with $100,000, first importing cameras before moving into copiers. In 1963, after reaching 10 billion yen in annual sales, the company became Ricoh Company, Ltd.
In 1973, Ricoh opened Ricoh Electronics in Irvine, California, becoming the first Japanese company to make copiers in the United States. That year, it introduced the RIFAX 600S. This high-speed office fax sent an A4 page in 60 seconds and was demonstrated via satellite between Tokyo and New York. In 1983, Ricoh launched its first personal computer and laser printer. After a 1992 operating loss, it shifted harder into digital technology, later buying Lanier Worldwide, IBM’s printing systems unit, IKON Office Solutions, and Pentax from Hoya in 2011.
Meaning and History
The corporation’s logos have always centered on the word. The focus was on the manufacturer’s name and characteristics, and the color and font conveyed the assortment’s diversity. The change in emblems was driven by major events in the company’s history: a name change and the introduction of progressive technological innovations to the market. In recent years, Ricoh has embraced bright colors, signaling a resurgence and a leap in growth and development.
What is Ricoh?
This Japanese company transformed the workplace by introducing multifunctional tools essential to various organizations. It is widely known for its professional cameras, copiers, and printers. Its GR series of compact cameras, popular among street photographers, is particularly valued for high image quality and portability. In the office market, the company is known for high-speed industrial printers for print shops and smart MFPs with remote control and monitoring. As a key player in office automation and document management, the company offers a unique approach that covers all stages from document creation to archiving.
1963 – 1976
In 1963, the company, which had previously been known as Riken Sensitized Paper Co., was renamed Ricoh. The main goal was to show the expansion of the product range (from paper to electronics). Due to the renaming, a change of logo was required.
The new sign was a concise name placed in a capsule.
The word Ricoh is formed by combining two parts from RIKEN and Cohesion. It conveys cohesion, creating a corporation in which each branch is aligned on a specific technology direction.
The name “Riken” consists of the first syllables of the phrase Rikagaku Kenkyūjyo, which denotes a physicochemical laboratory. The previous name indicated the chemical production of photosensitive paper. The new name, together with Cohesion, signals expansion, including other subsidiaries within the organization and a full range of products beyond paper production.
The capsule shape links the company to scanners, printers, and cameras, strengthening its association with the chemical processes that underpin image transfer to paper and film development.
The oval shape suggests completeness: a full cycle of services, from copiers and fax machines to the paper they use.
1976 – 1986
1986 – 2005
2005 – today
The company spreads its name everywhere. It acquires and renames other companies (Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.). It acquires naming rights (Ricoh Arena). To demonstrate development, growth, and ambition, the logo changed in 2005.
The new emblem is a red Ricoh inscription. The word includes an open “R” glyph, symbolizing openness to innovation, research, and new projects. The tapered ends of the C resemble a horseshoe, a symbol of luck.
Font and Colors
The red shades in the logo’s base tell of rapid development and expansion. They also convey dedication, selflessness, and a love for their work. The color reflects the Japanese people’s diligence and sets them apart.
Red symbolizes success, leadership, and global recognition.
The font of the inscription is Aeonis Pro Extended Heavy, but with a modified R. Even solid glyphs represent the corporation as strong and confident.