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EXHIBIT 99(a)(12)
RICOH COMPANY, LTD. EXTENDS TENDER OFFER FOR SHARES OF LANIER WORLDWIDE, INC.
UNTIL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN, January 9, 2001 - Ricoh Company, Ltd. (TSE: 7752)
announced today that it has extended the expiration date of its $3.00 per share
cash tender offer for any and all of the outstanding shares of common stock of
Lanier Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:LR) until 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on
Wednesday, January 24, 2001. Ricoh also announced that the closing of the tender
offer is no longer conditioned upon approval from The Republic of Poland
antitrust authorities.
The tender offer commenced on December 8, 2000 and was originally
scheduled to expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Monday, January 8,
2001. In order to allow time for antitrust approval from the European Union and
The Republic of Colombia to be received, Ricoh is extending the tender offer
expiration date to 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Wednesday, January 24,
2001, unless further extended. Ricoh was advised by Mellon Investor Services,
L.L.C., the Depositary for the tender offer, that, as of 5:00 P.M., New York
City time, on January 8, 2001, approximately 75,737,902 shares of Lanier common
stock had been tendered and not withdrawn, including approximately
1,872,422 shares tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery.
The closings of the tender offer and of the proposed merger of Lanier
with an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Ricoh are subject to certain
customary terms and conditions, including the approval of relevant antitrust
authorities. It has been expected that Ricoh would, and the merger agreement
permits Ricoh to, extend the tender offer from time to time if the conditions to
the tender offer and the proposed merger remained unsatisfied at the time that
the tender offer was originally scheduled to expire. Antitrust filings have been
made in the European Union and in The Republic of Colombia and these filings are
still pending.
Although there can be no assurances, Ricoh has been advised that the
necessary Colombian antitrust approval is expected to be received during the
month of January. In addition, absent a second stage investigation by the
European Commission, receipt of the European Union antitrust approval is
expected to be obtained by January 24, 2001. Ricoh may further extend the tender
offer beyond the January 24, 2001 expiration date in the event that the
antitrust approvals have not been received by that date or that other conditions
to the tender offer or the proposed merger have not been satisfied or have not
been waived by Ricoh by the new expiration date.
Ricoh has also been advised that the consent of The Republic of Poland
antitrust authorities will not be required to close the tender offer and to
consummate the proposed merger because the market share of the combined
companies will be below certain specified Polish regulatory thresholds. Thus,
the consent of the Polish authorities will not be necessary and is no longer a
condition to the tender offer and proposed merger.
Ricoh Company, Ltd., of Japan, is a leading provider of office
automation solutions, with more than 67,300 employees worldwide and sales in
excess of $14 billion in 2000. Ricoh Company is a recognized pioneer in the
development of network-connected digital multifunctional document systems and is
a top supplier of diversified office automation equipment and electronics.
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With 1,600 sales and service locations worldwide, Lanier Worldwide,
Inc. and its dealer and distributor network form one of the largest global
providers of document management solutions. Every day, Lanier and its dealers
and distributors help customers in more than 100 countries create, enhance
and distribute high-quality documents with greater speed, efficiency and
economy. Lanier maintains an intense customer focus-called Customer
Vision(Registered Trademark) and employs DOCutivity(Registered Trademark), a
document lifecycle approach designed to improve business productivity.
Lanier's comprehensive document management solutions portfolio includes
digital color copier/printers, black-and-white digital copier/printers,
multifunction devices, print-on-demand applications and a variety of
outsourcing services. Lanier also develops specialized solutions for the
healthcare and real estate industries. Lanier was founded in 1934, and is
headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
Mellon Investor Services, L.L.C. is the Depositary for the tender
offer, MacKenzie Partners, Inc. is the Information Agent, and Wasserstein
Perella & Co., Inc. is the Dealer Manager. Additional copies of the offer to
purchase and all other tender offer materials may be obtained from MacKenzie
Partners at 1-800-322-2885. Shareholders may also contact their brokers,
dealers, commercial banks and trust companies or other nominees for assistance
concerning the tender offer.
Lanier stockholders are advised to read Ricoh's tender offer statement
(including an offer to purchase, letter of transmittal, and related tender offer
documents) regarding its acquisition of Lanier, which has been sent to Lanier
stockholders and filed with the SEC, and the related solicitation/recommendation
statement which has been sent to Lanier stockholders and filed with the SEC. The
tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement contain
important information and should be read carefully before any decision is made
with respect to the tender offer. These documents are available to all
stockholders of Lanier at no expense to them. These documents are also available
at no charge on the SEC's web site, WWW.SEC.GOV.
CONTACT: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Takanobu Matsunami
(+81-3) 5411-4511
