Clover Technologies Group Acquires Dataproducts Supplies Division of Ricoh Printing Systems America, Inc.

OTTAWA, Ill. -- Clover Technologies Group, LLC (Clover) of Ottawa, Illinois, has acquired the North American and European compatible printing supplies divisions of Ricoh Printing Systems America, Inc. (RPSA), manufacturer of Dataproducts and other compatible supplies brands, effective February 1, 2005, as announced today by CEO Jim Schiefelbein and President Jim Cerkleski. Bill Barclay, former Executive Vice President of the RPSA supplies division, has been named President of the new Dataproducts USA, LLC division of Clover. Financing for the acquisition was provided by Bank One.

World headquarters of Clover Technologies Group is in Ottawa, Illinois, along with its manufacturing and distribution facilities. Dataproducts division, with its western U.S. distribution center, is located in Simi Valley, California with manufacturing in Mexicali, Mexico and in Porto, Portugal. The three plants provide over 200,000 square feet of combined manufacturing capacity of printer, fax and copier consumables.

"We are extremely pleased the Dataproducts supplies organization is joining our Clover family," says Schiefelbein. "This merger is a major step in our long-term growth strategy to become a worldwide leader in the supplies industry. Our customers will benefit, because both our organizations share commitments to superior engineering, quality manufacturing and extraordinary customer support. We will operate three manufacturing plants with distribution hubs in the eastern and western U.S., as well as in Europe."

Adds Cerkleski, "Clover has grown rapidly over the past four years to become one of the industry leaders by offering both original and compatible printing supplies primarily to the office products channel and to private brands.

"Dataproducts brand is an industry staple with over 40 years of technical experience as a respected printer manufacturer. We expect Clover and Dataproducts to operate as stand-alone divisions, except where obvious synergies and economies of scale create more value for our collective customers."

Clover is listed for the third year in a row on Inc. Magazine's 500 fastest growing U.S. privately held companies in 2004 (#36). The company has grown at such an accelerated rate by offering one of the industry's largest imaging supply product lines, which includes compatible toner and ink cartridges, as well as a full line of original (OEM) supplies. Clover's industry-recognized brand name is Image Excellence(R), although its corporate strategy is as a private brand manufacturer with many nationally known brands.

Bill Barclay, who has headed the Dataproducts supplies group for twelve years, points out that, in addition to being one of the largest compatible toner suppliers to corporate America, Dataproducts brand of inkjet and ribbon supplies are the most widely sold in the retail channel. The Dataproducts(R), Ink Station(R) and I-Print(TM) brands of compatible ink cartridges, ink cartridge refill kits and printing ribbons are sold in a large variety of retail chains such as Sears, Kmart, Staples and Target stores.

"We have enjoyed long success as members of an original printer manufacturing company," says Barclay. "We became an industry leader first as an independent company, then as a member of the Hitachi group of companies while maintaining our Dataproducts brand equity. Recently, our parent company was sold to Ricoh Company. We saw, however, that in order to continue our leadership as a compatible printer supplies manufacturer, we needed to merge with a growing organization that was truly focused on our industry. As a result, we are excited to join with Clover Technologies, which we consider to be a dynamic company aligned with our quality and business philosophies."

For more information about Clover Technologies Group, LLC and Dataproducts supplies, visit our web sites at www.clovertech.com and www.dpc.com, call Clover at 1-800-464-0272, or call Dataproducts at 1-800-232-2141.