Venlo, The Netherlands, 29 July 2010 - Océ stepped ahead of tough competition to be selected for a prestigious Ruban d’Honneur in round two of the European Business Awards. Receiving a Ruban d’Honneur is an impressive achievement and celebrates businesses who demonstrate exceptional performance within their sector. Océ will now compete as a finalist within the Environmental Awareness category and hopefully win the ultimate prize of a European Business Award.

Océ was one of only three Dutch companies to be given a Ruban d’Honneur. The Ruban d’Honneur is awarded to up to ten successful entrants in each category. Judges deliberate to select which individuals and businesses are awarded the Ruban d’Honneur, and it is from the Ruban d’Honneur recipients that the final winner in each category is decided.

Océ is the Netherland’s leading provider of document management and printing solutions for the professional business community. It has a broad portfolio of printing and related services designed to improve the efficiency of its clients. Its sustainability policy is embedded in everything it does from minimizing waste, reusing materials and components and working towards a ‘cradle-to-cradle’ closed loop supply chain. Through maximizing the life cycle of its machinery it is reducing its impact on the environment whilst using less raw materials.

Rokus van Iperen, CEO Océ, “At Océ we’re absolutely delighted to receive a Ruban d’Honneur from the European Business Awards. We’ve been operating for over 130 years in the printing and document management industry. Our forefathers were already concerned with advances in technology and sustainable solutions; we naturally inherited this tendency, and today we still focus on innovation and sustainability. We are honored to be recognized as one of the leading organizations in our country and in our field.”

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards says, “To get this far in the Awards program is a tremendous achievement. The gaze of the European business community is well and truly on the Ruban d’Honneur recipients and Océ demonstrated real talent in the Environmental Awareness category despite what has been a difficult trading period. Together with HSBC we wish Océ every success in this next and final round of the European Business Awards.”

About Océ
Océ is one of the world's leading providers of document management and printing for professionals. The broad Océ offering includes office printing and copying systems, high speed digital production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and color display graphics. Océ is also a foremost supplier of document management outsourcing. Many of the world’s Fortune 500 companies and leading commercial printers are Océ customers. The company was founded in 1877. With headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, Océ is active in approximately 100 countries and employs some 22,000 people worldwide. Total revenues in 2009 amounted to € 2.6 billion. Océ is listed on Euronext in Amsterdam. For more information on Océ, visit www.oce.com.