Kyocera opens new Technology Suite in London

Kyocera Mita today opened a new centre in London, designed to showcase its printing and imaging expertise and, in particular, its environmental credentials.

The Kyocera Technology Suite was opened by Minister Kusaka, Consul-General of the Embassy of Japan, alongside Sir John Madejski OBE, DL, DLitt, Chairman of Reading Football Club and Mr. Koji Nakamura, President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at a ceremony attended by representatives from industry, commerce and government.

The centre, located just north of Oxford Circus on Mortimer Street, will host a permanent exhibit of Kyocera products and displays explaining the company’s philosophy, vision and global strategy plus flexible space that can be used for meetings, seminars and conferences.

In addition to boosting Kyocera Mita’s profile in the UK’s business heartland, the Technology Suite will contribute to the promotion of sustainable business in London. It will be offered on a pro-bono basis as a venue to organisations wishing to hold sustainability-focused events in a central London location, as part of Kyocera’s commitment to supporting sustainable business practices.

The opening of the Kyocera Technology Suite represents a significant investment at a time when the printing and imaging industry is experiencing difficult trading conditions, but the tone of the opening event was unashamedly optimistic. Kyocera Mita UK has seen shipments increase compared with last year, and believes its success is due to its unique combination of lowest environmental impact combined with greatest user economy.

Its environmental attributes – and their increasing appeal to large corporations and public sector customers – were a significant factor in the decision to open the Kyocera Technology Suite in London, as UK MD Jun Okumura explains:
“London is leading the UK’s drive towards sustainable business and government, and is fast becoming a global centre of excellence in environmental leadership. At the same time, most of the decisions by large organisations are made by London-based executives. This new London facility puts Kyocera firmly at the centre of the sustainability movement and ensures that we can introduce London-based decision makers to Kyocera products without asking them to incur the transport impact of travelling to another location.”

He continued: “We have taken space in an existing building and converted it using low-carbon materials and technologies, to ensure that our own environmental impact is minimised. We want to demonstrate that sustainability is good for business and that by paying attention to the environmental impact of office activities organisations can reduce both their carbon emissions and their costs.”

The Kyocera Technology Suite has been refurbished to the highest environmental standards, making maximum use of natural light, re-using existing materials wherever possible and using sustainably sourced furnishings and fixtures. Its multifunctional layout makes it suitable for a wide range of activities from board meetings to conferences.

A full programme of sustainability events to be held at the technology suite will be published in due course. Already planned are a Green IT round-tab le and a two-day training course for sustainability leaders. Organisations interested in using the facility for their own sustainable business events should contact kts@kyoceramita.co.uk.