Ricoh has moved to acquire channel player MTI Technology as it looks to bolster its services capabilities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Gaining MTI will add more than 200 staff based in locations across the UK, Germany and France, and increase the depth of support the print player can provide in security, datacentre modernisation and managed services.
MTI will continue to run under its own brand, with the welcome mat being rolled out to the existing management team.
David Mills, CEO of Ricoh Europe, said it had struck the deal to increase its services capabilities across Europe.
“This exciting acquisition enables us to expand our IT services expertise across EMEA and to build on our existing competencies around datacentre transformation, cyber security and other IT transformation offerings,” he said.
“We are acquiring a fast-growing and agile IT services company while inheriting a proven and dynamic leadership team,” added Mills.
Scott Haddow, CEO of MTI Technology, said that becoming part of a larger entity would help the business go “to the next level”.
“Our mission is to help customers accelerate their digital transformation by modernising their IT systems and refining IT operations with security assurance as standard and privacy by design,” he said.
“This exciting acquisition enables us to expand our IT services expertise across EMEA and to build on our existing competencies around datacentre transformation, cyber security and other IT transformation offerings”
David Mills, Ricoh Europe
The traditional printer market has been hit hard by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, with offices closed and print fleets gathering dust. Reports that 40% to 60% of staff will continue to work at home even after the pandemic ends have added to the need for players like Ricoh to diversify their offering.
Over the course of the pandemic, Ricoh has been hitting the headlines largely through its efforts to increase its position as an audiovisual (AV) player. It cut the ribbon on its AV managed services offering this summer to help customers keep collaboration levels high after lockdown with support in their meeting rooms and workplaces. It followed that up with the acquisition of German AV and workplace integrator DataVision in September.
The MTI deal makes it clear that Ricoh is trying to expand the business across more than one front and is also keen to position itself as a digital services specialist.
“This acquisition is a genuine game-changer in the IT services space and fits perfectly with Ricoh’s strategy to transform into a digital services company,” said Alberto Mariani, senior vice-president, office services, at Ricoh Europe.
“MTI Technology has a very strong and capable board of directors and European management team, and they will all maintain their current roles and responsibilities. Their expertise, along with the company’s existing portfolio of services, supports our ability to offer an even more comprehensive breadth of IT and digital services.”
