Ricoh South Africa has launched its new A3 colour multifunction printer series in the local market.
The devices print at speeds of around 20 to 60 pages per minute and support both printed and digital document workflows across corporate, public-sector, healthcare, education and other professional environments.
“One of the biggest changes is the user experience,” says Levert Fisher, product marketing manager at Ricoh South Africa. “The multifunction printer has become much easier to use. The Smart Operation Panel works in a similar way to a smartphone, so the functions are familiar and straightforward.”
Users can print, copy and scan from the panel, access cloud-based services and applications, and follow built-in guidance to resolve routine issues such as paper jams without waiting for a technician.
Energy use in focus
Energy use is already a key consideration when organisations replace office equipment. With rooftop solar becoming a significant part of South Africa’s energy mix, the power consumption of everyday office equipment is increasingly relevant to organisations managing their own energy use.
Ricoh designed the A3 series with lower Typical Energy Consumption, or TEC, in mind. TEC measures the energy a device uses across different operating states, including active, ready and sleep modes.
“Businesses are looking more closely at the energy their office equipment uses,” Fisher says. “A lower-energy device reduces running costs and the overall demand on a company’s power system, which becomes more important when organisations are managing their own energy supply.”
More recycled material
The design of the printer itself is also changing. According to Fisher, the new MFPs use significantly more recycled material than their predecessors, while toner bottles are made from 100% recycled material. Ricoh has also replaced plastic packaging with moulded pulp.
Ricoh has made sustainability a core part of its product and business strategy. In 2026, the company received EcoVadis’s highest Platinum rating for the second consecutive year. Sustainability is also playing a greater role in corporate buying and investment decisions. KPMG’s 2025 Africa CEO Outlook found that 37% of Southern African CEOs consider sustainability returns in some capital investment decisions, alongside factors such as cost and operational performance.
Colour demand shifts the A3 market
Ricoh South Africa is seeing demand shift towards colour multifunction devices. The A3 series combines the print, scan and document-handling capabilities organisations need with print management and AI-assisted document indexing.
“Our primary focus is productivity,” Fisher says. “Bringing hardware and software together can reduce repetitive manual work and the errors that come with it. That gives organisations more efficient ways to manage documents and information.”