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Ricoh and ETRIA launch “Circular New,” a manufacturing concept, turning resource circulation into competitive advantage

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TOKYO, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ricoh Company, Ltd. and ETRIA CO., LTD. have announced “Circular New,” a manufacturing concept that transforms products already used in the market into assets for future production, turning resource circulation into new product value and manufacturing competitiveness.  As the first application, the concept will be introduced to Ricoh’s A3 black and white multifunction printers (MFPs), with localised production and launch scheduled in Japan and Europe in the first half of 2027.

Reduces newly sourced material use from about 76% to as low as 21% with product carbon footprint expected to drop by up to 25%Delivers latest-generation models with consistent quality, functionality and warranty, while utilising components recovered from the marketStrengthens supply chain resilience and manufacturing competitiveness through localised production

Compared with conventional centralised production at major manufacturing, localised circular production close to consumption markets is designed to reduce the proportion of newly sourced materials used from approximately 76% to as low as approximately 21%.[1] Customers will receive the same latest-generation models, with consistent quality, functionality and warranty, regardless of the production method.

 Circular New integrates product planning, design, manufacturing, use, collection, and reuse into a single continuous loop, utilising products already in the market as assets to manufacture new products with added value. In addition to conventional centralised production, Ricoh and ETRIA will establish localised circular production in Japan and France to create a regional loop of resource and component reuse, further expanding circularity. Localised production can reduce the product carbon footprint by up to 25%[2]. This reduction is achieved by lowering the use of newly sourced materials and shortening transportation distances, while establishing a resilient supply framework to ensure reliable product delivery amid geopolitical risks, logistics disruptions and resource price volatility. Centrally manufactured and locally produced products will be offered within the same product lineup, delivering consistent product value regardless of manufacturing method or location.

Ricoh and ETRIA have long worked together to reduce newly sourced material use by incorporating recycled materials, such as recycled plastics and steel. Looking toward future circularity, ETRIA integrates design principles from the planning and development stages, including sharing frames and components across generations and models, extending component lifespans and designing structures for simple disassembly and replacement. Building on this design foundation, Circular New combines digital insights into product and component conditions with advanced sorting and quality assurance technologies. This allows Ricoh and ETRIA to go beyond using recycled materials and instead recover and reuse resources and components from existing products directly in the latest-generation models.

With Circular New, Ricoh and ETRIA aim to establish Evolving Circularity—moving beyond reducing environmental impact to continuously channel recovered resources and components into next-generation product value while advancing manufacturing itself.

In its Mid-Term Management Strategy ’26, announced in March 2026, Ricoh set a target of achieving a 30% engine market share for ETRIA by fiscal 2030. Circular New is one of the initiatives supporting this growth strategy, strengthening ETRIA’s manufacturing competitiveness through circular product design and localised production.

Katsunori Nakata, executive corporate officer and president of RICOH Digital Products Unit, Ricoh Company, Ltd., and CEO of ETRIA, said, “Circular New directly challenges the assumption that manufactured products must follow a linear lifecycle. Guided by our principle of aligning ESG with business growth, the Ricoh Group aims to reduce newly sourced material use to 60% by 2030 and 12% by 2050. Through this localised circular production model, we are committed to demonstrating that resource circulation can drive both customer value and manufacturing competitiveness.”

James Loginov, Director of ESG Governance at Ricoh Asia Pacific, said, “Customers and stakeholders increasingly expect sustainability to be measurable, not just promised. Circular New delivers on that. Cutting the proportion of newly sourced materials in a device from around 76% to as low as 21% is a significant, tangible result, and it comes without compromising the quality our customers rely on.

“Just as important to our customers is the fact that Circular New makes good business sense, building on the Comet Circle circular economy model that has guided Ricoh since 1994. Reusing materials reduces our dependence on new resources and helps create supply chains that are more resistant to sudden shocks and disruptions. Proof that responsible manufacturing practices and long-term growth can go hand in hand.”

[1] By weight, among newly manufactured A3 laser multifunction printers (MFPs). The newly sourced material usage rate varies depending on the utilisation of recovered components.

[2] Calculated based on life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalent). The product carbon footprint reduction rate varies depending on the utilisation of recovered components and transportation distances.

About Ricoh

Ricoh is a global integrator in workplace transformation, operating in approximately 200 countries and regions and headquartered in Tokyo. Supporting customers’ value creation, Ricoh offers workplace services and solutions that empower organisations to work smarter through advanced technologies—including AI— together with long-standing expertise rooted in printing. Ricoh also operates commercial and industrial printing businesses and delivers new solutions leveraging inkjet technology. In the financial year ended March 2026, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,608 billion yen (approx. 16.4 billion USD).

For 90 years since our founding, Ricoh has upheld its mission and vision of empowering individuals to find Fulfilment through Work—and that commitment continues today. By understanding and transforming how people work, we unleash their potential and creativity to realise a sustainable future.

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com

###

© 2026 RICOH ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

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HiTHIUM Surpasses 200GWh in Shipments, Advancing Global Long-Duration Energy Storage with Full-Chain Integration

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October 16, 2026

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CHONGQING, China, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On October 15, 2026, HiTHIUM, a leading global energy storage technology company, held the “HiTHIUM 200GWh Shipment Milestone Ceremony” at its Chongqing manufacturing base. In just a year, the company’s cumulative shipments advanced from surpassing 100GWh in August 2025 to reaching 200GWh, setting a new benchmark for scale and quality in energy storage. With a continuously accelerating growth trajectory, HiTHIUM is advancing rapidly in large-scale manufacturing, full-chain collaboration, and global delivery. This leap underscores the global market’s strong recognition of its full-scenario integrated energy storage solutions.

Surpassing Another 100GWh: Advancing Scale and Capabilities in Tandem

Since shipments began at the end of 2021, HiTHIUM has built three core strengths: cost leadership, excellent service, and safety and reliability. Its cumulative shipments have surpassed both 100GWh and 200GWh, while its global ranking has risen from fifth in 2023 to third in 2024 and further to Global Top 2 in 2025 and H1 2026. This growth demonstrates HiTHIUM’s strengthening capabilities across long-duration energy storage (LDES), end-to-end integration, lighthouse-factory-enabled manufacturing, and global delivery and service.

LDES for the Long Term: Strengthening Competitiveness through Innovation, Systems, and Responsibility

At the ceremony, Jason Wang, HiTHIUM Co-founder and CEO, said that surpassing 200GWh marks a new starting point for HiTHIUM’s high-quality global development. HiTHIUM is pursuing its ambition to become the world’s leading energy storage brand through technology innovation, integrated development, and global expansion. As a strategic hub, HiTHIUM’s Chongqing manufacturing base—the world’s first energy storage battery lighthouse factory—deepens supply-chain collaboration and enables the high-quality delivery of products at scale, supporting the development of the new energy storage industry.

Looking ahead, Jason said the energy storage industry is no longer defined by competition between individual products, but by the strength of integrated capabilities across the entire value chain. HiTHIUM will continue to strengthen its competitiveness across three dimensions: innovation, systems, and responsibility.

On innovation, HiTHIUM remains focused on energy storage and its LDES strategy, accelerating global deployment of its first kAh-class integrated LDES solution and building full-scenario solutions from cells to the grid, making “New energy + LDES” a reliable anchor for the new power system. On systems, HiTHIUM implements its “strength at home and abroad are mutually reinforcing” globalization strategy, led by Xiamen HQ and backed by its Chongqing manufacturing base and overseas localization, driving end-to-end integration across technology, products, supply chain, and delivery and strengthening global resource allocation and project delivery. On responsibility, HiTHIUM is committed to the long term: promoting value-chain collaboration through localized operations, fostering new quality productive forces, and contributing to the sustainable development of its business, the industry, and local communities.

“This milestone was not just about growth—it was about scaling end-to-end capabilities,” said Jason Wang. Moving forward, HiTHIUM will advance LDES technology, upgrade its lighthouse factory smart manufacturing system, strengthen global delivery, and drive shipments toward the next 100GWh in support of the global green energy transition.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hithium-surpasses-200gwh-in-shipments-advancing-global-long-duration-energy-storage-with-full-chain-integration-302910902.html

SOURCE HiTHIUM

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HiTHIUM Surpasses 200GWh in Shipments, Advancing Global Long-Duration Energy Storage with Full-Chain Integration

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October 16, 2026

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CHONGQING, China, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On October 15, 2026, HiTHIUM, a leading global energy storage technology company, held the “HiTHIUM 200GWh Shipment Milestone Ceremony” at its Chongqing manufacturing base. In just a year, the company’s cumulative shipments advanced from surpassing 100GWh in August 2025 to reaching 200GWh, setting a new benchmark for scale and quality in energy storage. With a continuously accelerating growth trajectory, HiTHIUM is advancing rapidly in large-scale manufacturing, full-chain collaboration, and global delivery. This leap underscores the global market’s strong recognition of its full-scenario integrated energy storage solutions.

Surpassing Another 100GWh: Advancing Scale and Capabilities in Tandem

Since shipments began at the end of 2021, HiTHIUM has built three core strengths: cost leadership, excellent service, and safety and reliability. Its cumulative shipments have surpassed both 100GWh and 200GWh, while its global ranking has risen from fifth in 2023 to third in 2024 and further to Global Top 2 in 2025 and H1 2026. This growth demonstrates HiTHIUM’s strengthening capabilities across long-duration energy storage (LDES), end-to-end integration, lighthouse-factory-enabled manufacturing, and global delivery and service.

LDES for the Long Term: Strengthening Competitiveness through Innovation, Systems, and Responsibility

At the ceremony, Jason Wang, HiTHIUM Co-founder and CEO, said that surpassing 200GWh marks a new starting point for HiTHIUM’s high-quality global development. HiTHIUM is pursuing its ambition to become the world’s leading energy storage brand through technology innovation, integrated development, and global expansion. As a strategic hub, HiTHIUM’s Chongqing manufacturing base—the world’s first energy storage battery lighthouse factory—deepens supply-chain collaboration and enables the high-quality delivery of products at scale, supporting the development of the new energy storage industry.

Looking ahead, Jason said the energy storage industry is no longer defined by competition between individual products, but by the strength of integrated capabilities across the entire value chain. HiTHIUM will continue to strengthen its competitiveness across three dimensions: innovation, systems, and responsibility.

On innovation, HiTHIUM remains focused on energy storage and its LDES strategy, accelerating global deployment of its first kAh-class integrated LDES solution and building full-scenario solutions from cells to the grid, making “New energy + LDES” a reliable anchor for the new power system. On systems, HiTHIUM implements its “strength at home and abroad are mutually reinforcing” globalization strategy, led by Xiamen HQ and backed by its Chongqing manufacturing base and overseas localization, driving end-to-end integration across technology, products, supply chain, and delivery and strengthening global resource allocation and project delivery. On responsibility, HiTHIUM is committed to the long term: promoting value-chain collaboration through localized operations, fostering new quality productive forces, and contributing to the sustainable development of its business, the industry, and local communities.

“This milestone was not just about growth—it was about scaling end-to-end capabilities,” said Jason Wang. Moving forward, HiTHIUM will advance LDES technology, upgrade its lighthouse factory smart manufacturing system, strengthen global delivery, and drive shipments toward the next 100GWh in support of the global green energy transition.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hithium-surpasses-200gwh-in-shipments-advancing-global-long-duration-energy-storage-with-full-chain-integration-302910902.html

SOURCE HiTHIUM

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University of Phoenix leaders to share expertise on learner mobility and credential innovation at Convergence 2026

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October 16, 2026

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Cate Tolnai and Marc Booker to present University of Phoenix insights on credit for prior learning, skills recognition and microcredential pathways

PHOENIX, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — University of Phoenix is pleased to announce that Marc Booker, PhD., vice provost of Strategy, and Cate Tolnai, director of Microcredentials & Innovation Credential Strategy, will present at 2026 Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education, Oct. 13-15 in Washington, D.C.

Presented jointly by UPCEA and AACRAO, the annual conference brings together higher education leaders, practitioners and innovators to explore emerging approaches to credentialing, learner mobility and workforce-aligned education. The event focuses on advancing strategies that help learners translate knowledge, skills and experiences into meaningful educational and career opportunities.

Tolnai will participate in three sessions spanning credential innovation, learner mobility and credit for prior learning, while Booker will join Tolnai in presenting the University’s work connecting prior learning, skills recognition and microcredentials to support student success and career-relevant outcomes.

“The conversation around credentials is no longer just about documenting learning; it’s about helping learners communicate their capabilities in ways that are meaningful to employers, educators and the learners themselves,” shared Tolnai. “As credential innovation continues to evolve, institutions have an opportunity to create more transparent, flexible and learner-centered ways for individuals to showcase what they know and can do.”

Connecting value for learners

Booker and Tolnai will co-present the session, “Connecting Value Chains for Mobility: CPL to Skills to Microcredentials.” The presentation will explore how institutions can support learner mobility by recognizing the full range of experiences learners bring to higher education and creating stronger connections among credit for prior learning (CPL), skills recognition and microcredentials.

Drawing on University of Phoenix practices and findings, the session will detail a process for connecting life experiences, education and career pathways through CPL-to-skills-to-microcredential workflows. Presenters will share how these approaches can enhance the learner experience while strengthening the value proposition of higher education.

“Innovation in higher education is most impactful when it helps learners see clearer connections between what they have learned, the skills they possess and the opportunities available to them,” said Booker. “Creating those connections strengthens learner mobility and helps institutions deliver greater value earlier on in the student journey and prior to credential completion.”

Exploring the future of credential innovation

Tolnai will also co-present “Badgelicious Futurism: Predicting What’s Next in #Credovation.” The interactive session will examine emerging trends shaping credential innovation, including skills-based hiring and AI-enabled assessment.

Participants will use a future-casting framework to explore predictions, evaluate implications for current initiatives and identify strategies for advancing credential innovation within their organizations. The session is designed to provide practical tools and discussion prompts that support long-term strategic planning in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.

Expanding recognition of prior learning

In addition, Tolnai will participate in the panel discussion, “Recognizing What Learners Know: Exploring the Full Spectrum of Credit for Prior Learning.” The session will examine the growing range of CPL approaches available across higher education, including portfolio assessment, challenge exams and workforce-aligned learning recognition.

Panelists will discuss how institutions are using CPL to improve learner mobility, reduce time to completion and create more equitable pathways to credentials. Attendees will also receive an early look at findings from the UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation’s landscape poll on current CPL policies, practices and implementation strategies across higher education.

Booker and Tolnai are among the University’s leaders regularly invited to share their expertise at national conferences and industry events. In 2026, University of Phoenix representatives participated in the AACRAO Annual Meeting, ASU+GSV Summit, 1EdTech Learning Impact Conference, SXSW EDU Conference and PESC Data Summit, contributing insights on learning innovation, student success and workforce-aligned education.

A complete conference schedule is available on the 2026 Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education conference website.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Michele Mitchum
University of Phoenix
michele.mitchum@phoenix.edu

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