Ricoh Business Center

What Ricoh Business Center does

Nou (also referenced as Ricoh Business Center, with the former Ricoh Document Center Enschede rebranded into the Nou network in December 2025) is a privately held Dutch print and scan solutions provider founded in 1974, headquartered in Apeldoorn with a website at nou.nl. The company resells and services printers, copiers, multifunctionals, plotters, scanners, label printers, and consumables from Canon, HP, and Ricoh, and complements that hardware portfolio with proprietary software assets — the Nou mobile app, a centralized customer portal, a self-serve online subscription configurator, secure-print (pull-print) functionality, and document digitization services. The technology stack is integration- and configuration-led rather than R&D-led: it relies on third-party OEM equipment wrapped with Nou's own portal/app/configurator layer, and the firm holds ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environmental), and ISO 27001 (information security) certifications supporting enterprise and public-sector procurement.

The business model blends one-time hardware sales, recurring subscription contracts (multi-year, bundling equipment rental/purchase with automatic toner delivery and service), consumables replenishment via the webshop, and professional services for installation and consultation. Go-to-market is dual-channel: a sales-led direct motion with dedicated contact persons for mid-market and enterprise customers, and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel through the webshop and subscription configurator. Primary verticals include primary education, government/municipalities (notably Gemeente Amsterdam, processing approximately 1 million mail items per year at a 30x speedup versus prior workflow), healthcare, legal services, construction/industrial, financial services, and SMBs more broadly — all served exclusively within the Netherlands. The competitive position rests on long-tenured customer relationships (53% of the ~17-person workforce has more than 10 years of tenure), multi-OEM authorization, triple ISO certification, and an expanding regional footprint via acquired Ricoh Document Center locations.

Name

Ricoh Business Center

Legal name

Nou

Website

https://ricohbusinesscenter.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nou is a privately held Dutch print and scan solutions provider, founded in 1974 and based in Apeldoorn, offering subscription-based managed print services, multi-brand hardware (Canon, HP, Ricoh), and a customer portal to education, government, healthcare, legal, and SMB clients in the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed Print Services

NAICS

Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42342)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate, Promotional & Custom Print Products Distribution (CRAOALAM)

Keywords

• Managed print services
• Office printing equipment
• Document scanning solutions
• Print subscription services
• Business printing supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Apeldoorn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Print/Scan Equipment Sales: Direct sales of printers, copiers, plotters, scanners, and accessories. Customers can purchase hardware outright from the webshop.
2. Subscription Services: Recurring subscription model including equipment rental or purchase with bundled service, automatic toner delivery, and maintenance. Customers configure their subscription via online tool and pay based on usage tier.
3. Consumables and Supplies: Sales of ink cartridges, toner cartridges, paper, and other consumables through the webshop.
4. Professional Services: Installation, consultation, and ongoing technical support services provided by expert team.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ricoh Business Center (operating as Nou) is a Dutch total solutions provider for printing and scanning, distributing printers, copiers, multifunctionals, plotters, scanners, label printers, paper, and consumables from Canon, HP, and Ricoh. The company bundles these hardware products with managed print subscription services that include automatic toner delivery, proactive maintenance, installation, and access to a customer portal and mobile app. Customers can self-configure their print subscription online by selecting brand, features, and print volume.

Product overview

Nou (formerly Ricoh Document Center Enschede) operates as a total solutions provider for printing and scanning needs, offering a unified platform that combines hardware products with managed services. The core portfolio includes printers, copiers, multifunctionals, plotters, scanners, paper, and consumables from Canon, HP, and Ricoh brands. These hardware products are complemented by the Nou app, Klantenportal (Customer Portal), secure printing solutions, and digitization services. The company offers flexible subscription models including print plans with automatic toner delivery, and provides an online configurator tool for customers to customize their print and scan subscriptions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Printers, Copiers & Multifunctionals Multi-function printers, copiers, and all-in-one office devices combining printing, scanning, copying, and faxing capabilities from Canon, HP, and Ricoh, designed for business environments.
• Plotters Large-format printing solutions including HP DesignJet and Canon imagePROGRAF series for technical drawings, graphics, CAD, and GIS mapping applications.
• Scanners Document scanners including kleinformaat (small format), grootformaat (large format), and boekscanners (book scanners) for digitization needs.
• Label Printers Specialized printers for producing labels and tags for business labeling and identification requirements.
• Paper and Consumables Printing media including copy paper and plotter paper, plus ink cartridges, toner cartridges, and other replacement supplies for printers and copiers.
• Secure Printing Solution Secure print solution requiring user authentication before releasing printed documents, ensuring confidential documents are only printed when the authorized user is present at the printer.
• Nou App (Mobile Device Management) Mobile application enabling customers to manage devices, submit service requests, handle orders, invoices, and subscriptions directly from their smartphone.
• Customer Portal Online platform for managing devices, service requests, invoices, subscriptions, and orders in one centralized location for customer self-service.
• Document Digitization Services Document digitization services converting physical documents and information streams into digital formats to enable efficient digital workflows.
• Managed Print Subscription Recurring subscription including equipment rental or purchase with bundled service, automatic toner delivery, and maintenance, configured online by brand, features, and print volume.

Quantifiable outcome

• Printers maintain more than 99% average uptime
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ricoh Document Center EnschedecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025Ricoh Document Center Enschede transitioned to become part of the Nou network, expanding Nou's regional presence in the Netherlands. This represents a strategic expansion through conversion of an existing Ricoh partner location.
• CanoncoreTechnology or IntegrationCanon is a primary equipment supplier for Nou's print and scan solutions, offering printers, multifunctionals, imagePROGRAF plotters, imageFORCE color printers, and i-SENSYS devices available through the Nou webshop.
• HP (Hewlett-Packard)coreTechnology or IntegrationHP is a key equipment partner supplying DesignJet plotters (T650, T850 models) and other HP printing solutions through the Nou platform.
• RicohcoreTechnology or IntegrationRicoh provides equipment and solutions as one of the brands offered through Nou's subscription model and webshop. Ricoh Document Center locations are being integrated into the Nou network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ricoh-businesscenter

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ricoh Business Center