u8国际

u8国际 launches global Managed Document Services initiative

New global support for the creation and management of high-quality, consistent document input-output environments

TOKYO, September 17, 2009—u8国际. announced today the launch of u8国际 Managed Document Services (u8国际 MDS), a common global service designed to assist customers in more effectively managing their document input-output environments and document processes.

Until now, u8国际 regional sales organizations had been responsible for delivering Managed Print Services (MPS) within their national and regional markets, contributing to improved productivity and reduced costs for customers through the building and operation of optimized output environments in offices and Centralized Reprographic Departments (CRD). Through the new initiative, u8国际 will effectively leverage these MPS while simultaneously unifying and standardizing the company's menu of services, providing optimized service as "u8国际 MDS" for customers in each region. By delivering a range of high-quality, consistent services globally, particularly for global enterprises with operations all over the world, u8国际 aims to provide new added value by enabling customers to take advantage of better operational performance, lower costs and improved workflow efficiencies leading to higher customer satisfaction.

While u8国际 MDS offers compatibility with a wide range of input-output devices, including those of other manufacturers, u8国际's latest imageRUNNER ADVANCE Series of color multifunction office systems, featuring improved remote-management capabilities, makes possible optimal end-user input-output environments.

With regard to the rollout of u8国际 MDS, the company is expanding the infrastructure that will provide the foundation for the delivery of service worldwide while also accelerating the development of new service menu offerings. The company will also expand u8国际 MDS sales and support staff at each regional sales organization and establish essential training systems. In support of these efforts, the company plans to invest approximately 20 billion yen over the next three years.

u8国际 MDS will be launched initially in North America and Europe and expanded globally to include Japan, Asia and Oceania with the goal of achieving sales revenue of over 100 billion yen for the entire u8国际 group in 2012.

Through the provision of high-quality, consistent service to effectively meet the needs of customers, from global enterprises operating worldwide to the individual divisions of small and mid-sized businesses, u8国际 will continue working to deliver increased business efficiency and new added value.

Major Features of u8国际 MDS

• ?High-quality and consistent service delivery based on consistent global services menu
• ?Improved service efficiency through enhanced infrastructure and tools
• ?Use of u8国际's extensive selection of input-output devices, including the imageRUNNER ADVANCE Series

MPS Market Trends

In 2008, the scale of the worldwide MPS market was approximately 1 trillion yen, with that in Japan reaching approximately 30 billion yen. Demand within this market is expected to remain strong, realizing continued double-digit growth globally as well as in the domestic Japanese market. (u8国际 survey)

Overview of Major Features

1. Five-phase consistent global menu

• u8国际 MDS comprises five phases, with menus for each phase to ensure maximum benefit for customers. By repeating the five-phase cycle, u8国际 MDS enables the realization of cost savings, added value and customer satisfaction.

2. Enhanced infrastructure and tools

• u8国际 MDS enables the optimization of existing infrastructures and tools, making possible an infrastructure supporting the aggregation of output volume through the monitoring of device status from a remote location, and tools for the central control of device settings and job management.
• To provide services designed to match user environments, u8国际 will also build a delivery platform, which will include an infrastructure with reporting capabilities

3. Use of u8国际's extensive selection of input-output devices

u8国际 MDS supports most u8国际 and non-u8国际 multifunction office systems and laser beam printers. When used in conjunction with u8国际's latest imageRUNNER ADVANCE Series, u8国际 MDS offers customers additional cost savings through inter-device operability and integration.