When MSNBC picks up a Print story, something is going on

Free advice to all not Ricoh or IBM
I am seeing a train that is going to leave the station in 2009 - 10.

I would put this on the front burner and forget about layoffs or the stock price for a while. Reschedule a couple conference calls. Don't "educate" your customers. Figure out a way to incent your network. Whoever fixes the "silo" problem first, is going to have the lead for a decade.

Item #1
InfoPrint Solutions Company Establishes Global Leadership in TransPromo - @ msnbc.com:
The story is a PR rewrite. But the subhead gets it almost just right.

Sub head as written,

Combination of Global Innovation Centers and Successful Pilots Continues to Drive Uptake of the Marketing Technique

Sub head I would have written,

Combination of Global Innovation Centers and Successful Pilots Continues Expansion of the Print Output Infrastructure

Item #2
Meanwhile on the copier side, at Alibaba.com,

* Ikon clients switching from rival gear to Ricoh's smoothly
* Aims for 2009/10 profit growth despite headwind
* Holds onto 2010/11 opg profit target of 250 bln yen

TOKYO, March 5 - Ricoh Co Ltd said its products accounted for 90 percent of sales at Ikon in January, up from 30 percent before the office equipment distributor was acquired by the Japanese copier maker last year, underlining a smooth consolidation of the key U.S. unit.

Ricoh, the world's largest copier maker, said it aimed to raise its profits in the year from April despite a tough business environment, thanks to bigger contributions from Ikon and its high-end printer business.

Item #3
And in the midrange MFP and workgroups

New EFI Fierys Drive Line-Up of Ricoh Aficio Color MFPs, Enabling Office Users blablablabla

"Ricoh Americas Corporation, the leading provider of digital office equipment, and EFI' (Nasdaq:EFII), the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today launched two EFI Fiery� controllers for the recently launched Ricoh Aficio mid-range digital color multifunction products (MFPs) designed for the office environment. The Fiery controllers deliver exceptional color, automated, visual workflows, and impressive speed to increase return on equipment investment for Ricoh customers."

I haven't found anything about Ricoh and MPS, but I figure that's the other side of the Ikon buy.