New President Named at Ricoh Electronics

Ricoh Electronics Inc. has named a new president, Katsumi Yoshida, to succeed Koichi Endo, who has been reassigned to the Tokyo parent company.

Yoshida, who formerly headed parent Ricoh Co. Ltd.’s overseas production division in Tokyo, will oversee Ricoh Electronics’ three Orange County manufacturing sites, where more than 90% of the unit’s 1,300 employees are based.

The Tustin-based unit is opening a fourth manufacturing plant today in Gwinnett County, Ga., to supply Ricoh customers east of the Mississippi River.

Yoshida comes to his post as Ricoh Electronics’ sales are declining. Its sales in 1989 were $216 million, down 9% from $236.4 million in 1988.

A company spokesman declined to say whether Endo’s transfer was related to the sales decline.

Endo has been named general manager of the parent firm’s office copier components division in Tokyo, the company said.

Kerry Regan, a company spokesman in New York, said Yoshida’s expertise is in production for overseas markets. Yoshida will head the company’s plans to expand U.S. sales of its products, which include office copiers, toners and fax machines.

Ricoh ranks as the fifth-largest supplier of office copiers, after Canon, Xerox, Sharp and Mita.

Yoshida is no stranger to Orange County. He started Ricoh’s operations in 1973 and headed the local division through 1978.

Yoshida was in Georgia and unavailable for comment.