QRIE to Divest Corporate B2B Division to ST Imaging

QRIE to Divest Corporate B2B Division to ST Imaging

QRIE Ltd. (“QRIE”) recently announced it has signed a definitive agreement to transfer its Corporate (B2B) Business Division—primarily engaged in wholesale of toner-cartridge products and components—to ST Imaging Co., Ltd. (“ST Imaging”). The agreement was executed on October 8, 2025. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Koichi Yoshizuka from QRIE (left) and Tetsuya Taguchi from ST Imaging (right)

Following the transfer, QRIE will intensify investment in its e-commerce operations—anchored by its original brands “Ink’s Chips” and “Yokohama Toner”—and in “Sumarapi,” its growing smartphone-peripherals business. QRIE and ST Imaging have maintained a trusted partnership for many years and will continue to collaborate post-transaction.

The strategic rationale behind the transfer lies in QRIE’s desire to achieve greater focus and scalability within its e-commerce business. The company plans to enhance the customer experience through expanded product assortments, same-day shipping for orders placed by 17:00 JST, and further improvements in quality assurance and customer support. For ST Imaging, the acquisition will reinforce its evaluation and development capabilities, streamline import logistics from China and other regions, and strengthen its sales execution in the Japanese market.

Under the agreement, ST Imaging will acquire QRIE’s Corporate (B2B) Division, which includes toner and ink-related wholesale operations as well as component supply for remanufacturers. The division’s head and related staff—including members of the Osaka Branch responsible for component sales—are expected to join ST Imaging upon completion of the transaction. Trading relationships with major component suppliers will also transition to ST Imaging, which will begin procuring directly from those partners.

The closing of the transaction is scheduled for January 1, 2026. A phased operational handover will commence in October 2025, beginning with the RemaxWorld exhibition and continuing through the transition period.

Koichi Yoshizuka, President & CEO of QRIE Ltd., stated: “We’re confident that value delivery in the B2B domain will accelerate under an even stronger structure. QRIE will focus on e-commerce and Sumarapi, elevating quality, convenience, and after-sales support.”

Tetsuya Taguchi, President & CEO of ST Imaging Co., Ltd., added: “We will deepen collaboration with QRIE and, beyond parts supply, drive new business models—such as printers for niche markets—together with our partners.”

Related:

• Japan Post’s ¥370 Billion Logistics Overhaul: Implications for QRIE and the Wider Printing Supplies Industry
• QRIE Secures Fourth Rakuten Shop of the Year Award

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