Why Forward-Thinking CIOs and CFOs Are Rethinking Label Printing

Ricoh and Zebra’s Linerless Solution is Changing the Game.

Smarter, Leaner, and Locally Supported

In today’s operating climate, business leaders are being asked to do more with less: reduce costs, drive efficiency, stay compliant, and deliver meaningful sustainability outcomes, all while managing risk and navigating ongoing disruption.

What’s often overlooked in that equation is the role that seemingly minor technologies, like label printers play in business performance. Yet for organisations operating across logistics, healthcare, manufacturing or retail, label printing is not optional, it’s mission critical. When label printers fail, operations slow. Orders back up. Customers are left waiting. And frontline staff are left to firefight issues that could be easily avoided.

That’s where Ricoh and Zebra Technologies come in.

A Smarter, Local Solution with Global Backing

Ricoh New Zealand has partnered with Zebra Technologies, the global leader in rugged label printing and frontline technology. Together, we’ve launched a fully managed, linerless label printing solution for New Zealand businesses, built to simplify operations, reduce waste, and shift label printing from a reactive cost centre into a performance enabler.

While Zebra’s world-class devices power everything from medical labs to high-volume fulfilment centres around the globe, Ricoh brings the trusted local support, infrastructure and lifecycle expertise Kiwi businesses demand.

This isn’t a basic leasing model. It’s all-inclusive managed service, enterprise-grade solution that removes the burden of ownership and replaces it with:

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  Predictability

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  Performance

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  Peace of mind

Why CIOs and CFOs Should Take Notice

 

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  Cost Control Through Simplicity

  Ricoh’s “as-a-service” model transforms label printing from a capex-heavy, resource-draining process into a simplified OPEX line item. With no upfront investment required, organisations can access the latest Zebra desktop or industrial printers, bundled with on-site support, training, consumables and swap-pool replacements, all for one predictable monthly cost.

  This model enables clearer forecasting, better cash flow management, and reduced procurement complexity, while ensuring print infrastructure never becomes a barrier to scale.

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  Productivity Gains Where They Matter Most

  Label printers are deeply embedded in the frontline, often in complex or high-volume environments. When they underperform, the cost to the business isn’t measured in ink and paper, it’s measured in delays, errors, and customer dissatisfaction. Zebra’s linerless devices are engineered for uptime, with fewer moving parts and less maintenance required. Combined with Ricoh’s proactive monitoring and nationwide service team, organisations can significantly reduce downtime and avoid productivity bottlenecks.

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  Sustainability Without Compromise

  Environmental performance isn’t just a boardroom conversation, it’s a procurement and compliance mandate. Zebra’s linerless printing reduces waste by eliminating backing paper, cutting packaging volume by up to 40%, and lowering carbon output from shipping and disposal. For businesses with ambitious ESG targets, this is a meaningful way to reduce footprint without disrupting workflows.

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  Total Visibility, Fewer Surprises

  Ricoh’s fully managed approach brings enterprise-grade visibility into labelling infrastructure giving CIOs the tools to track usage, spot inefficiencies, and continuously improve performance. With all support, updates, and hardware lifecycle events managed centrally, IT teams can focus on higher-value initiatives while knowing frontline operations are covered.

Proven Globally. Delivered Locally

Across the UK and Europe, the Ricoh-Zebra partnership is already transforming how businesses label, scan, and mobilise their frontline teams. These customers are seeing measurable gains in productivity, compliance, and sustainability, while reducing the total cost of ownership of their print environments.

Now, Ricoh is bringing this capability to New Zealand, with local service, local technicians, and a deep understanding of the Kiwi operating context. Whether you’re running a warehouse in Christchurch, a hospital in Dunedin, or a logistics fleet across the South Island, Ricoh is right there with you.

A Trusted Print Leader - Evolving to Meet Today’s Needs

For over 80 years, Ricoh has been a global leader in print. Today, we’re a technology partner helping businesses automate workflows, secure infrastructure, manage digital transformation and now, optimise frontline labelling.

With over 300 Ricoh-certified technicians across New Zealand and a service model that’s built to scale, we’re uniquely positioned to help CIOs and CFOs rethink label printing as a strategic enabler, not a sunk cost.

Final Thought

In a time when every investment is scrutinised, and operational agility is more important than ever, Ricoh’s managed linerless label printing solution offers a low-risk, high-impact opportunity to gain efficiency, reduce waste, and future-proof your print infrastructure.

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  No capital outlay
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  No hidden costs
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  No disruption

Just smart technology that performs, supported by a partner you already trust.