Ricoh Sustainable Development Award Presented to Outstanding High School Students...

Ricoh Sustainable Development Award Presented to Outstanding High School
Students at Intel ISEF 2009 Special Awards Ceremony

RENO, Nev., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh Americas Corporation presented two
high school students with the Ricoh Sustainable Development Award at the 2009
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), the world's
largest pre-college science competition, during a special awards ceremony in
Reno, Nev., on Thursday, May 14. The students will split a $25,000 scholarship
from Ricoh for their impressive environmental innovations in recycling and
alternative energy.

The two recipients of this year's Ricoh Sustainable Development Award are
Andrew Kipling Miller of Western Alliance High School in Elton, N.C., and
Hetal Anjibhai Vaishnav of Late Shree S.G Dholakiya Memorial High School in
Rajkot, India. Both projects have patents in progress.

Miller perfected a way to boost power production from wind turbines. Mimicking
the design of whale fins and using principles of aerodynamics, he designed and
strategically placed protuberances or 'bumps' on turbine blades to more
effectively capture wind power. The result is up to 40 percent higher energy
output on the test windmills and the potential to expand the use of wind as an
alternative energy source, particularly in areas with low to moderate wind
speeds. His design also lowers the noise output of wind turbines, making them
more attractive for use in densely populated suburban areas.

Vaishnav developed a way to convert typically non-recyclable multilayered film
plastic, typically used for snack packaging such as potato chip bags, into
recycled composite materials. Her composites are more durable, water resistant
and less flammable than virgin plastics, plywood and other building materials.
Consequently, Vaishnav's invention has the potential to replace and
out-perform these items while also diverting materials from landfills. Along
with being economically efficient to replicate in mass production, her
methodology uses no solvents, adhesives or binders and releases no toxic
gases.

"Protecting the environment is critical to us at Ricoh, and we are proud to
support the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair which encourages
innovation in sustainability," said Robert Whitehouse, director, Environmental
Management and Product Compliance, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "Both winners
exemplify the principles of sustainability as they developed efficient,
cost-effective and readily applicable improvements that will no doubt advance
the business of environmental technology."

The Intel ISEF, presented by Agilent Technologies, provides a forum each May
for more than 1,500 high school students (grades 9-12) from more than 50
countries to showcase their independent research. Each year, millions of
students worldwide compete in local and school-sponsored science fairs. The
winners of these events go on to participate in Intel ISEF-affiliated regional
and state fairs from which the best win the opportunity to attend the Intel
ISEF. A team of five judges from academia and business selected the winners of
the Ricoh Sustainable Development Award.

About Ricoh Americas Corporation
Ricoh Americas Corporation, headquartered in West Caldwell, N.J., is a
subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 73-year-old leading supplier of office
automation equipment and electronics, with fiscal year 2008 sales in excess of
$20 billion.

Ricoh Americas Corporation is a leading provider of document solutions.
Ricoh's fully integrated hardware and software products help businesses share
information efficiently and effectively by enabling customers to control the
input, management and output of documents.

Ricoh Americas Corporation directly or through its network of authorized
dealers markets and distributes products in North, Central and South America.

Information about Ricoh's complete range of products and services can be
accessed on the World Wide Web at www.ricoh-usa.com.

CONTACT: Linda Montefusco Jennifer Kuhl
Ricoh Americas Corporation Peppercom
(973) 882-2172 (212) 931-6111
linda.montefusco@ricoh-usa.com jkuhl@peppercom.com

SOURCE Ricoh Americas Corporation

Linda Montefusco of Ricoh Americas Corporation, +1-973-882-2172,
linda.montefusco@ricoh-usa.com; or Jennifer Kuhl of Peppercom for Ricoh
Americas Corporation, +1-212-931-6111, jkuhl@peppercom.com