50+
country data hubs unified
Shorter
infrastructure build times
Democratized
access to insights
As Ricoh approaches its 100th anniversary, the company has set the vision of "Joy in Work" as it transforms from an OA (Office Automation) manufacturer to a digital services company. A core element supporting this strategy is the construction of a global data infrastructure. Informatica cloud-native IDMC integrates siloed sales, inventory and operations systems, supporting data-driven management and operations.
"We are transitioning from conventional data warehouses that support operations to a new system called GLIDER that supports ROIC management and corporate growth. As the core of this solution, we’ve selected Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud™ (IDMC) as the global standard tool."
Reimagining office automation for the digital age
Founded in 1936, Ricoh Co., Ltd. envisions celebrating its centennial in 2036 with the goal of bringing "Joy in Work." The company's philosophy, proposed in 1977, states that "machines should be tasked with what they can do, allowing humans to engage in more creative work." This notion underpins the company's promotion of office automation (OA) and the belief that enhancing the value created through uniquely human creative work is where the joy of work lies. Ricoh also began advocating for "environmental management" in 1998, with the belief that achieving both environmental conservation and profit generation simultaneously constitutes sustainable activity.
In recent years, there has been significant diversification in work styles and workplace environments both domestically and internationally, with rapid progress in remote work adoption and paperless processes, leading to a decline in the workstyle of storing and sharing information on paper.
These changes have significantly altered the expected role of offices. To adapt to these external environmental changes, Ricoh announced its transformation from an OA equipment manufacturer to a digital services company in 2020. The company aims to shift its business focus, increasing the digital services sales ratio from 46% in the first half of fiscal 2023 to over 60% by fiscal 2025. One of the main strategies supporting this is the promotion of "Process, IT and Data", finalized in the 21st Medium-Term Management Strategy in 2023.
General Manager and Head of Corporate IT at Ricoh's Digital Strategy Division, Yoshinobu Hamanaka says: "The purpose of the triad initiative is to achieve unique advantages in operational excellence that cannot be imitated by others through process, IT and data. In the IT realm, we are working on renewing legacy systems and migrating to the cloud. From a process perspective, we are implementing systems to visualize and improve business processes. Lastly, in the data domain, utilizing data accumulated within the company to the utmost to contribute to company growth is essential.
“We’re excited about the AI potential within data infrastructure setup. Currently, even with no-code and GUI tools, we still craft complex processes. AI could automate such tasks, reducing development burdens and supporting productivity enhancement.”
Linking data from global poles to corporate HQ
A major role in promoting the "Process, IT and Data" initiative is played by the "GLIDER" data infrastructure construction project, which has been underway since 2017. This project aims to aggregate data on performance, sales, inventory and operations. Ricoh has divided its group companies, located in over 50 countries and regions globally, into five regions – thus deploying business from a five-pole structure worldwide.
Through the GLIDER project, the aim is to gather data as-is from data warehouses used within each pole, allowing each headquarters’ users to reference the same data that polar users see. "In the Ricoh Group, we had constructed ERP systems for each pole, where data extraction, transformation and loading (ETL) processes were individually carried out,” Hamanaka recalls of the past state. “There was a system in place that transformed the necessary data into a common format for the headquarters. Although financial settlement processing was feasible with this method, detailed analysis, market trends and backgrounds could not be accomplished, necessitating frequent data requests and exchanges which were labor-intensive.”
The GLIDER project, which collects raw data before transformation and processing from around the world and conducts the necessary processing on the Japanese side, aims to significantly reduce the required time and effort to verify the accuracy of processed data between headquarters and each pole. GLIDER is also essential from the perspective of promoting Ricoh's targeted Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) management.
As Hamanaka explains: "We are transitioning from conventional data warehouses that support operations to the new GLIDER system that supports ROIC management and corporate growth. As the core of this solution, we selected Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud™ (IDMC) as the global standard tool.”
Selecting a future-proof data management partner
Informatica IDMC provides not only ETL processing but also comprehensive functions and services for unified data management and effective utilization of siloed data. These include API integration, improvement of data quality, cataloging, master data management (MDM) and data governance. The AI-powered Informatica CLAIRE® incorporated in IDMC further enables seamless integration and cooperation of these services.
In the future, if new system integration or changes in connection-target systems occur, nearly all processes can be easily performed with a no-code, GUI environment. These features in IDMC empower Ricoh to quickly adapt to business environment changes anticipated in times of workforce scarcity.
Additionally, Takuya Higashimae, Director of the Data Management Center in the Process, IT and Data Division, notes: "Ricoh has traditionally utilized Informatica PowerCenter for on-premises ETL. During the GLIDER project, we led a careful evaluation in selecting the standard for our data infrastructure in each pole worldwide, considering not just functionality and performance, but also the transferability of PowerCenter assets to the cloud, the reliable reputation as a long-standing industry leader and the availability of global support, all of which were highly valued."
Furthermore, the possibility of integration with external services like Microsoft SharePoint Online and local solutions used in each pole was another evaluated aspect, supplemented by the results of ETL tool evaluations conducted in the North American pole.
Bridging business and IT with intelligent data services
As part of this digital transformation, Ricoh is establishing a "Data Concierge Department", where data experts cater to the needs of business divisions by assisting in the extraction, processing and utilization of data.
Higashimae notes: "Even if the necessary data is organized, if no one knows where to find it or how to access it, data utilization does not progress. Therefore, data concierges will facilitate data utilization by bridging business and IT divisions, enhancing operational efficiency and speed. The aim is to commence by 2024, determining required skills, communication methods and frequencies, resource numbers and so on, intending to officially launch the department by fiscal 2025."
The team also has high hopes for future possibilities of AI, including Informatica CLAIRE® GPT and CLAIRE® Copilot AI integrated within IDMC. "At Informatica World 2023, the CLAIRE® generative AI enhancements were announced, and I was amazed by the speed with which Informatica pre-empts the times. There is potential, for example, in suggesting what data, catalogs or reports exist even when data concierges make vague requests or display partial data from multiple matches to a request," Hamanaka mentions.
“We’re excited about the AI potential within data infrastructure setup. Currently, even with no-code and GUI tools, we still craft complex processes. AI could automate such tasks, reducing development burdens and supporting productivity enhancement," he adds.
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