Confusion and concerns following news of the financial problems being incurred by German press manufacturer, manroland, has led Roland DG to reassure its customers that there is no connection between these two companies that share the same name. Roland Corporation has its roots firmly in Japan and was founded in 1972 as a specialist manufacturer of music products and synthesizers, whereas Man Roland AG is a specialist producer of web and sheetfed machines for the printing industry.

In historical terms, Roland introduced its first computerised pen plotter in 1982 and, the following year, Roland DG Corporation was formed as a subsidiary of Roland Group to concentrate on digital technologies. As the market focus has evolved from CAD to sign-making and, thence, to full-colour printing, Roland DG has been instrumental in leading the market with new developments. These included thermal transfer technology during the mid 1990s, followed by aqueous-based and the first eco-solvent wide-format ink-jet print-and-cut solutions in 1997.

"Because there is coincidental commonality between our names, we have had a number of customers and distributors expressing concern that Roland DG could be affected by the financial status of the German press manufacturer. I'd like to reassure everyone that this is most certainly not the case as there is absolutely no connection between the two companies," confirms Jerry Davies, Managing Director of Roland DG (UK) Ltd. "On behalf of the Roland name internationally, I want to stress that we are part of Roland Corporation, Japan, a highly profitable organisation and listed in the top-rated Japanese companies on the Tokyo Stock Exchange."

Headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan, Roland DG currently employs around 500 people at its international head-quarters. The company is a leading manufacturer in the area, renowned for its innovative production philosophy, Digital Yatai, where the monotony of assembly is removed to give workers a more pleasant environment.

Roland DG has been instrumental in bringing ground-breaking new technologies to the sign-making, display, packaging and commercial print sectors, with its systems designed for cost-effective, reliable and colour accurate results. Ink-jet technologies currently addressed include eco-solvent, UV-curable and dye sublimation chemistries, available across a variety of platforms to suit all price and production requirements.

Additionally, Roland DG retains its popularity amongst sign-makers for its ergonomic and rugged computerised vinyl cutters, and for its series of powerful engraving solutions. The company also manufactures machines for 3D subtractive modelling and rapid prototyping, with its precision technology now finding a new market in the sector for dental equipment.

"On behalf of Roland world-wide I want to confirm that the company is thriving and moving forward strongly in all the sectors covered by its technologies," concludes Davies. "The impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan earlier this year on our business results was minimal, and Roland DG intends to continue on its growth path by continuing to strengthen its business scope to adapt successfully to changing market conditions and customer requirements."