New communication technology seamlessly links people and places
Global operating model
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment as well as air conditioning and heating technology.
The multinational employs more than 138,000 people worldwide and has business units which operate across national/international borders. Its global operating model is reliant upon effective yet secure cross-border collaboration between geographically remote sites.
Collaborative communication
Mitsubishi Electric has several external offices in Germany. Ricoh is a trusted business partner and when Mitsubishi Electric moved headquarters, Ricoh was on hand to support the company; optimising its print and communications infrastructure, and strengthening security.
To improve communication, Ricoh installed interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in Mitsubishi Electric’s new headquarters and its regional offices. Ricoh’s IWBs facilitate secure cross-border communication. Seamlessly linking people and places, they allow employees to collaborate effectively.
We use the interactive whiteboards to share information and ideas across multiple sites.
Security is very important and Ricoh’s swipe-card technology allows us to control the flow of information.
Giuseppe Cassese, IT Manager, Mitsubishi Electric
Safeguarding security
Ricoh established a demonstration suite which allowed Mitsubishi Electric to evaluate its services and solutions prior to the office move. Mitsubishi Electric could see the potential of Ricoh’s IWB technology - the ability to communicate and collaborate seamlessly across borders - but was concerned about security.
Taking Mitsubishi Electric’s concern on board, Ricoh modified the IWB firmware. The interactive whiteboards installed in Mitsubishi Electric’s new headquarters and in its regional offices now support the same secure card-based authentication system as the multifunctional products (MFPs) and printers supplied by Ricoh.
Improved business agility
Swiping their ID card at an interactive whiteboard, Mitsubishi Electric’s employees can quickly initiate secure meetings with colleagues. They can share information on screen, annotate documents and save them as searchable PDFs. To protect confidentiality, the documents may only be printed or saved to email by the initiator.
Ricoh’s interactive whiteboard technology has transformed collaborative communication at Mitsubishi Electric. Improving the flow of information and ideas allows the business to respond faster to opportunities. And, with less time wasted on travel, Mitsubishi Electric’s employees can work more efficiently.
Ricoh is a supportive single-source business partner. As well as the interactive whiteboards, Ricoh provides managed document services for Mitsubishi Electric and supplies laptop computers.
