May 2006
The Algerian IT firm Eepad is to invest $60 million in PC assembly this year. The plant will be based in the northeastern city of Annaba, which will produce 30,000 computers a year.

The company's CEO, Nouar Harzallah says production will reach 500,000 in three years, through three assembly lines.

Eepad has been involved in Internet access as its core activity. Established in 1991, the company's revenue in 2004 was DZD 600 million with projected sales of DZD 1.2 billion in 2005. The company has 350 employees and is located in 35 provinces (wilayas) offering services in 48 provinces through a 453-distributor network.

With relationships with major Internet and telco players such as Algerie Telecom and Wanadoo, Eepad continues to improve its bundle offerings, which include a PC with Internet access. The latest of such offering is a package called Zala targeted to students at  the price of DZD 50,000. The package comprises of a laptop computer and three months of high-speed or ADSL Internet access. 

The company is involved in the Ousratic program, a state-endorsed program that aims at boosting computer penetration to one PC per household. Eepad has already sold almost 35,000 notebook computers within this program, with the participation of banks that offer consumer loans. The notebooks are sold with integrated ADSL service. Eepad plans to sell 1 million PCs within this program while it intends to invest up to $300 million over the next three years.

© The North Africa Journal 2006