Case Study: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Ricoh helps the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach stay on track with top notch technology and teamwork
About the customer
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is the second longest-running INDYCAR Series race in the U.S. that cuts right through the streets of downtown Long Beach, California. Started in 1975, with many legendary race winners throughout the years, the event attracts close to 200,000 international attendees each April to the three-day motorsports spectacular. Billed as “America’s #1 street race,” the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach features a signature hairpin turn along with the main and back stretches set against the scenic background of the Long Beach waterfront.
"When we get into race week, we have a minute by minute, hour by hour schedule that needs to be met. Any delay causes substantial complications."
Jim Michaelian
President and CEO
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Challenge
Seamless project output before and during race week
High volume of printed materials for sponsors and ticket holders
Restricted access to deliver and install temporary equipment fleet
Reliable technology for minute-by-minute and other reports
Each spring, excitement builds for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. A year of preparation comes to a head as hundreds of thousands of attendees and more than 500 members of the press descend on picturesque Long Beach to witness auto racing at its finest. Everything and everyone have to be in place — and there's no time for missteps. Things really heat up in the six months leading up to race week for the races' administrative team. They rely on a fleet of printers to churn out a high volume of pre-event printed materials — thousands of welcome letters for sponsors and renewal letters and information packets for ticketed fans.
Come Monday morning of race week, it’s show time. All of the temporary print technology needs to be in place at the Long Beach Convention Center (AKA race central) where about 50,000 copies are made by administrative staff and the media prints in excess of 10,000 hard copy documents. With access restricted before and during race weekend, getting print devices in and out of the area has to be deftly navigated. The temporary fleet of devices installed throughout the marketing, operations and press areas at race central must run reliably to ensure hard copy stats and reports are available without delay.
To make all of this happen, race organizers needed a best-in-class technology partner for print devices and support at its year-round offices as well as race week. A partner that worked well in the family-like atmosphere that the enterprise has become through the years.
Solution
"Ricoh’s products, personnel and service have been extremely commendable. We’re looking forward to continuing on in the relationship for years to come.”
Jim Michaelian
President and CEO
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Partnership with Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Reliable, dedicated print technology for the enterprise
Navigated around restricted access to deliver printers for race week
Dedicated technical support for frictionless printing during event
Nearly a decade ago, Ricoh forged a partnership with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. This partnership created a chance to make printing seamless during the year-long preparation for the event as well as race week.
We equipped the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach’s warehouse-like office with top-of-the-line printing technology to handle the large volume of pre-event printing. We dispersed the units throughout the office to eliminate the need for long walks back and forth to retrieve prints. We also provided technical support for the rare occasion when a printer needs service to keep the operations team printing and productive.
For race week, our team expertly navigated around the restricted access points to deliver and set up printers at race central — the Long Beach Convention Center — by 7:30 a.m. on Monday morning. Ensuring printers run reliably is paramount for all the users — including members of the press who print nonstop throughout the event. That's why Ricoh dedicates two technical support team members to be onsite to troubleshoot any issues should they arise.
Results
Innovative technology to produce critical race week information
Dependable printers and service at administrative office
Reliable and knowledgeable customer service support team
Steady performance since partnership began
Since the sponsor partnership began, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has had nothing but praise for the Ricoh technology and team that deliver dependable printing solutions and service year after year. The organization’s office is well equipped with innovative, reliable technology to print pre-event communications that keep sponsors, the press and ticketed fans informed and engaged prior to race week.
The organization also knows that the printers and technicians will arrive on schedule first thing Monday morning as the frenetic race week begins. The equipment is up and running quickly and everyone working at race central will have systems in place to disperse critical hard copy information throughout the event. Perhaps the best testament of all — no one on the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach team can recall any issues around the printing technology since the sponsor partnership began.