Ryobi / RMGT Printing Machines: Complete History & All Models
Every Ryobi and RMGT offset press — from the 1960s printing machinery division through the dominant 500/520/524 and 750/755 series that shaped Indian commercial printing, to the 2013 Mitsubishi joint venture and current RMGT 9 series LED UV. The full story, every model, and India guide.
Ryobi's printing machinery division was one of India's most-installed press brands for three decades — the Ryobi 520 and 524 are found in thousands of Indian commercial print shops. In 2013, the printing division was spun off as a joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and rebranded RMGT. New machines are sold as RMGT, but the Ryobi name lives on in India's enormous installed base.
In 2013, Ryobi Ltd sold its printing machinery division to a joint venture between Ryobi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The new company is called Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology Co. Ltd (RMGT), headquartered in Hiroshima, Japan. The "Ryobi" brand name for printing machinery was discontinued — new presses are sold as RMGT, not Ryobi. However, the engineering team, factory, and technology are continuous. An RMGT 7 Series is directly descended from the Ryobi 755. In India, most print professionals still refer to these presses as "Ryobi" — which causes confusion when buying new machines. New = RMGT. Pre-2013 used = Ryobi. The quality and service lineage is unbroken.
Ryobi Ltd was founded in 1943 in Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan — the company's name (良美 — Ryobi) means "excellent beauty." The company's original business was die casting and precision metal components — expertise that would later prove critical for manufacturing high-precision printing press components. Ryobi's printing machinery division was established in 1961, initially producing letterpress equipment. Their first offset press appeared in 1969, entering the fast-growing offset market a few years behind Heidelberg and Komori. The name "Ryobi" in the printing context became widely known in the 1970s and 1980s as the company aggressively targeted the commercial printing market globally with value-priced, reliable presses.
Ryobi's 500 series became the dominant small-format offset press in developing markets through the 1980s and 1990s — and India was one of the most important markets. The positioning was deliberate: a reliable, well-built Japanese press at significantly lower cost than Heidelberg, with straightforward operation that suited the skill levels of a rapidly expanding Indian print industry. Thousands of Ryobi 500 series presses were imported into India, many still in daily operation today.
- Ryobi 512 (2C, 1980s vintage): ₹1–4 lakh — entry level, simple repair
- Ryobi 520 (1C, good condition, 1990s): ₹2–5 lakh
- Ryobi 524 (4C, 1990s vintage): ₹8–20 lakh depending on condition
- Ryobi 524 (4C, 2000–2010 vintage, good): ₹15–35 lakh
- Parts for 500 series: available from Priya Machines (Mumbai), third-party suppliers in Ulhasnagar, and grey-market importers. Some parts interchangeable within the series.
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colours | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi 500 | 1969 – 1978 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 7,000 s/hr | 1C | First Ryobi offset press. Single colour, basic. Established the product line. Very few survive in India. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 512 | 1972 – 1990 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 8,000 s/hr | 2C | Two-colour version. Popular in small commercial print. Some in India in older shops. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 520 ★★★ Most common in India | 1978 – 2005 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 10,000 s/hr | 1C | The single-colour workhorse that introduced Ryobi to thousands of Indian printers. Used for single-colour commercial work — letterheads, forms, invoices, booklets. The 520 was the entry point for many Indian commercial printers in the 1980s and 1990s. Estimated 8,000–12,000 Ryobi 520/522 in India (all vintages). Extremely simple to operate and maintain. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 522 | 1980 – 2005 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 10,000 s/hr | 2C | Two-colour 520 variant. Used for two-colour commercial and pre-printed form work. Common in India. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 524 ★★★ India's favourite 4C small press | 1982 – 2012 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 12,000 s/hr | 4C | The Ryobi 524 is to small-format Indian commercial printing what the Heidelberg GTO 52 is — an ubiquitous, affordable, reliable 4-colour press that enabled thousands of Indian printers to offer full-colour work. Multiple generations produced over 30 years. Estimated 5,000–8,000 Ryobi 524 in India. Still a fully viable production press for visiting cards, stationery, brochures, and short-run commercial work. Parts widely available. Recommended alternative to a new press for printers with limited capital — a good condition 524 at ₹15–30 lakh does the same work as a new entry press at ₹80+ lakh. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 524GX / 524HX | 1995 – 2012 | B3 | 36.5 × 52cm | 13,000 s/hr | 4C, 5C | Later generations of the 524 with improved inking, faster speed, and CPC control console. The GX and HX variants are the best-quality Ryobi B3 presses from the late production era. Used 524GX/HX 4C: ₹20–45 lakh in India. | Discontinued |
| Model | Years | Format | Colours | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi 480 | 1978 – 1992 | A3+ | 1C, 2C | Very compact press for A3 format. Used in in-plant and quick print. Limited India presence. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 500K (Numbering) | 1985 – 2000 | B3 | 1C + numbering | 520 with integrated numbering unit for cheques, tickets, forms. Used by Indian government printing presses, cheque printers, and ticket manufacturers. Some still in service for speciality numbering work. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 524P / 524DP (Perfecting) ★ Book work | 1988 – 2008 | B3 | 2/2 or 4/1 perfecting | Perfecting versions of the 524 — simultaneous front and back printing. Used by Indian book printers and form producers for high-volume signatures. Significant India installed base for small-format book printing. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 500 DI (Direct Imaging) | 1996 – 2004 | B3 | 4C direct imaging | Revolutionary concept — digital plates made directly on-press (no separate platemaking). Ryobi partnered with Scitex/Creo for the DI imaging system. The DI concept was ahead of its time but commercially limited by high running costs and ink restrictions. Very few in India. The DI concept was later continued by Heidelberg as the Quickmaster DI. | Discontinued |
Ryobi's expansion into B2 format was a major strategic move that brought them into direct competition with Heidelberg SM 74 and Komori Lithrone S-40. The 750 series maintained Ryobi's positioning of good Japanese quality at lower cost than premium European/Japanese alternatives, and found a strong market among Indian mid-size commercial and packaging printers.
- Ryobi 750 (4C, 1990s vintage): ₹25–55 lakh
- Ryobi 755 (4C, 1998–2005 vintage): ₹35–80 lakh
- Ryobi 755 (5C + coater, 2000–2008): ₹60–150 lakh
- Ryobi 760 (4C, 2005–2012 vintage): ₹50–110 lakh
- Ryobi 784 Perfecting (4C + 4C, 2000–2010): ₹80–180 lakh
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colour configs | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi 750 | 1985 – 2000 | B2 | 52 × 72cm | 13,000 s/hr | 2C, 4C, 6C | First Ryobi B2 press. Significant step up from B3. Found traction in India among commercial printers and mid-size packaging converters seeking B2 capability at Ryobi pricing. Used 750 4C: ₹20–50 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 755 ★★★ Most important Ryobi B2 in India | 1993 – 2012 | B2+ | 53 × 75cm | 15,000 s/hr | 2C–8C, coater, UV option | The Ryobi 755 was the dominant mid-market B2 press in India through the 2000s. Directly competed with Heidelberg SM/CD 74 and Komori Lithrone S-40 — at significantly lower capital cost. In India: widely used by commercial printers, pharma packaging converters (particularly in Ahmedabad), book printers, and FMCG packaging. Multiple configuration variants: 755i (improved inking), 755H (heavy board). Estimated 1,500–2,500 Ryobi 755 in India. One of the most serviced presses in India — local engineers have 20+ years experience on this model. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 760 | 2002 – 2013 | B2+ | 53 × 75cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–8C, coater, LED UV option (late models) | Updated 755 — improved CPC console, faster plate change, LED UV option on later models. Transitional model that bridged Ryobi to RMGT. Used 760 4C: ₹50–120 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 784 (Perfecting) ★★ Book printing | 1995 – 2013 | B2+ | 53 × 75cm | 13,000 s/hr | 4+4 simultaneous perfecting | Perfecting version of the 755/760 — simultaneous front and back. Used extensively by Indian book printers (educational textbooks, fiction, reference works). Major India installed base for book publishing work. Direct competitor to Heidelberg SM 74 perfecting and Komori LS-40 RP. Used 784 4C: ₹80–180 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Colours | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi 3200 | 1980 – 1998 | A3 | 31 × 43cm | 1C, 2C | Very compact A3 press for in-plant and quick print. Popular in Indian corporate and government print centres for internal documents. Simple operation. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 3302 ★ India in-plant standard | 1985 – 2005 | A3+ | 33 × 46cm | 2C | Two-colour A3+ press. The standard in-plant press across Indian corporations, banks, government offices, and educational institutions for internal printing. Simple, reliable, low maintenance. Thousands in India. Parts available. Used 3302: ₹2–8 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Ryobi 3304 | 1990 – 2008 | A3+ | 33 × 46cm | 4C | Four-colour A3+ — enables 4-colour in-plant printing. Used by corporate marketing departments for full-colour in-house printing. Limited India presence vs 3302. | Discontinued |
Following the 2013 joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, new presses are sold as RMGT (Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology). The RMGT range maintains Ryobi's value positioning but adds full LED UV capability as a standard option, improved automation, and the Mitsubishi engineering heritage. RMGT presses are technically continuous with the Ryobi 755/760 lineage — the 7 Series is a direct evolution of the 760.
All current RMGT presses: rmgt.co.jp/products ↗
RMGT 9 Series: rmgt.co.jp/9series ↗
RMGT 7 Series: rmgt.co.jp/7series ↗
| Model | Introduced | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colours | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMGT 5 Series (520 / 524) ★ Entry | 2014 | B3 | 36.5 × 52cm | 13,000 s/hr | 1C–4C, LED UV option | Direct successor to Ryobi 524. Maintains the B3 entry-level positioning. LED UV option enables instant drying on coated stocks. In India: entry press for new buyers and replacement for worn 524 installations. New RMGT 5 Series 4C: ₹60–90 lakh. Official ↗ | Current |
| RMGT 7 Series (755 / 760) ★★ Main India model | 2014 | B2+ | 53 × 75cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–10C, LED UV, coater | Direct successor to Ryobi 755/760. The main RMGT model for India — same format and positioning as the Ryobi 755 that dominates the India used market, but with LED UV and updated automation. Growing India adoption, particularly among printers upgrading from Ryobi 755 who want to stay with the same mechanical lineage. New RMGT 7 Series 4C: ₹1–2 crore; with LED UV: ₹1.5–3 crore. Official ↗ | Current |
| RMGT 9 Series (920 / 940) ★★ Premium | 2016 | Between B2 and B1 | 65 × 92cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–10C, LED UV, coater | Extended format press — larger than B2+ but smaller than B1. Designed for packaging converters whose work consistently runs larger than B2 but doesn't justify full B1 capital cost. LED UV standard option. Growing India adoption in folding carton and premium packaging. New: ₹2–4 crore. Official ↗ | Current |
| RMGT 10 Series | 2020 | B1 | 75 × 105cm (B1) | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–8C, LED UV, coater | RMGT's entry into B1 format — a significant expansion of the range. Competes directly with Heidelberg CX 75 and Komori GX40 at a lower price point. rmgt.co.jp ↗ | Current |
| RMGT 9 Series RP (Perfecting) | 2018 | Between B2 and B1 | 65 × 92cm | 13,000 s/hr | 4+4 simultaneous perfecting | Perfecting version of the 9 Series. Used for book printing and high-volume double-sided work. India adoption growing. | Current |
Priya Machines Pvt Ltd (primary authorised RMGT agent for India)
Mumbai (HQ); regional agents in Delhi NCR, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad
For used Ryobi presses (pre-2013): Contact Priya Machines for certified used stock. For grey-market and general used Ryobi, dealers in Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra (Ambernath Road, MIDC Ulhasnagar) and Kirti Nagar Industrial Area, New Delhi are the primary sources. IndiaMART.com lists hundreds of used Ryobi presses across India.
Parts for old Ryobi: Priya Machines carries some OEM parts. Third-party Ryobi-compatible parts available from specialist suppliers in Ulhasnagar. For older models (500 series), some parts sourced from grey-market importers via Mumbai port.
Service engineers: Ryobi/RMGT-trained engineers available through Priya Machines. Independent engineers with 20+ years Ryobi experience are widely available in all major Indian print clusters — a valuable resource for maintaining the enormous pre-2013 installed base.