AI Overview:
Ricoh USA and Brother International have formed a strategic alliance that reshapes the A4 printer and MFP landscape by combining Ricoh’s A3 leadership with Brother’s proven A4 hardware. This partnership delivers a unified, cost-efficient print ecosystem featuring Brother’s Workhorse Series, enterprise-grade security, flexible configurations, and simplified fleet management through Ricoh’s Streamline NX and ColdStream platforms. Backed by Barlop Business Systems’ decades of experience, businesses gain a streamlined, scalable print strategy that reduces costs, improves security, and centralizes A3 and A4 management under one dashboard.
A Trusted Alliance: Decades of Proven Experience
Barlop has proudly partnered with Ricoh for over 40 years and Brother for more than 15 years. With this new collaboration between two industry giants, we’re better equipped than ever to provide cutting-edge solutions tailored to your evolving needs. Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise organization, our combined product and service offering positions us to serve you more efficiently, reliably, and affordably.
Introducing the Brother Workhorse Series
At the center of this enhanced offering is Brother’s Workhorse Series—a powerful, business-grade lineup of A4 monochrome and color multifunction devices and printers. These 19 models (10 MFPs and 9 single-function printers) are designed specifically for high-demand office environments and include:
- Superior reliability: Built to withstand heavy-duty usage with minimal downtime.
- Advanced security certifications: Safeguard your data with enterprise-grade protection.
- Flexible accessories: Expandability to meet your unique workflow requirements.
- Cost-efficiency: Competitive cost-per-copy (CPC) rates that keep your budget in check.
- 3-Year Standard Exchange Warranty: No added fees, no hidden terms.
- Optional on-site support: Maximize uptime with local, responsive service when needed.
This product line offers a professional-grade solution that scales with your team—without compromising performance or reliability.
Unified Software Management: A4 and A3 from One Dashboard
One of the most compelling aspects of the Ricoh-Brother partnership is the seamless software integration being rolled out. Ricoh’s Streamline NX and ColdStream platforms will soon support full monitoring and control of Brother A4 devices alongside Ricoh’s A3 machines. This means your IT administrators can manage your entire print fleet from a single interface.
Benefits of this integration include:
- Consistent monitoring: Track usage, errors, and toner levels in real time.
- Centralized management: No need for multiple portals or systems.
- Improved security posture: Apply uniform print policies and access controls across devices.
- Increased productivity: Reduce manual oversight and troubleshooting with automated alerts and reporting.
These features are especially useful in hybrid or decentralized work environments where printer oversight can become a bottleneck. With one streamlined dashboard, print operations become faster, more secure, and easier to scale.
Real-World Impact: Smarter Printing, Tangible Results
Businesses that switch to integrated A4/A3 solutions report:
- Up to 25% savings on annual print-related expenses
- Reduced IT support tickets related to print infrastructure
- Better compliance with industry security standards such as HIPAA and GDPR
- Lower carbon footprint through smarter usage tracking and more efficient devices
These outcomes aren’t just theoretical—they reflect real case studies and client feedback from businesses using the new Ricoh-Brother solution set.
How Barlop Supports You Every Step of the Way
As your dedicated print solutions partner, Barlop offers much more than hardware. Our team of certified experts is ready to guide you through every phase of your print environment transformation—from initial needs assessment to installation, training, and ongoing support. Here’s how we help:
- Personalized Consultations: We take the time to understand your workflows, goals, and challenges.
- Scalable Solutions: From five users to five hundred, we’ll tailor the right mix of devices and software.
- Training & Adoption: Your team will feel confident using new devices from day one.
- Maintenance & Monitoring: Prevent issues before they happen with proactive service and analytics.
Is Your Business Ready for Smarter Print Technology?
Whether you’re planning a full infrastructure upgrade or simply want to add smarter A4 capabilities to your existing setup, the Ricoh-Brother collaboration opens up new opportunities to enhance productivity and control costs.
Contact Barlop Business Systems today to schedule a one-on-one demo or strategy session. Our experts will help you evaluate the best-fit solutions based on your current needs and future growth plans.
Call us or use our online form to get started. Let’s build a more efficient print strategy—together.
