RICOH TO SET UP FRENCH, UK COPIER PLANTS
Ricoh Co Ltd <RICT.T> said it will set up
a wholly-owned French subsidiary to produce plain paper copiers
(PPC) from June 1988. Its UK subsidiary will also build a new
PPC plant to start operations in September 1987, Ricoh said.
    The French company, <Ricoh Industry France SA>, in
Wettolsheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, will produce PPCs at an initial
monthly rate of about 2,000, rising to between 4,000 and 5,000
units in a couple of years, with initial investment of one
billion yen, Ricoh said.
    The new company will create 100 jobs.
    The company said its wholly-owned U.K. Subsidiary <Ricoh
U.K. Products Ltd> in Telford, which has produced office
automation equipment such as PPCs, sorters and facsimiles since
April 1985, will invest 1.7 billion yen to build a new PPC
plant. It is due to start operation in September 1987 and
increase output to 7,000 per month from the present 2,500.
    The new U.K. Plant will create 100 jobs to give a total of
360 jobs at the U.K. Subsidiary.
    After both new plants reach full production, 70 pct of
Ricoh's total PPC to be sold in Europe will be supplied by
those European units.
 REUTER
