Clover Technologies Group LLC announced its purchase of Ricoh Printing Systems America Inc.''s North American and European printing supplies division yesterday. Ricoh Printing Systems America Inc. is the manufacturer of Dataproducts and a family of other printer and imaging supplies brands.
The sale, effective immediately, includes the purchase of Dataproducts’ main office and Western distribution center in Simi Valley, Calif., as well as its manufacturing facilities in Mexicali, Mexico, and Porto, Portugal. Clover Technologies’ facilities in Ottawa, Ill., will remain company headquarters.
"We are extremely pleased the Dataproducts supplies organization is joining our Clover family," said CEO Jim Schiefelbein. "We will operate three manufacturing plants with distribution hubs in the Eastern and Western United States as well as in Europe."
Clover Technologies, a remanufacturer and distributor of compatible supplies including laser, inkjet and fax cartridges and fax and copier consumables, offers its product line under its Image Excellence brand as well as private-brand labeling to dealer and resellers around the globe. The acquisition will add an additional 200,000 square feet of combined manufacturing space. In addition to its remanufactured offerings, Clover is also a distributor of OEM supplies.
Ricoh Printing Systems America Inc. division, formerly Hitachi Printing Solutions America Inc., was purchased through its acquisition in October 2004. Bill Barclay, current executive vice president and general manager of the RPSA supplies division has been named president of the Dataproducts division of Clover.
"We have enjoyed long success as members of an original printer manufacturing company," said Bill Barclay, former executive vice president of RPSA and now president of the Dataproducts division.
"We became an industry leader first as an independent company, then as a member of the Hitachi group of companies while maintaining our Dataproducts brand equity. Recently our parent was sold to Ricoh company. We saw, however, that in order to continue our leadership as a compatible printer supplies manufacturer, we needed to merge with a growing organization."
