Benefiting from the availability of a broader model line-up, Toshiba is pushing for a 25 per cent market share on notebooks in key Middle East markets, from its current 20 per cent.
The company, which ranks in the top three among Notebook vendors in the region, is eyeing increased volumes from Saudi Arabia through its recent alliance with Jarar Book Store, to add to the impressive gains already made in the UAE.
"This arrangement helps us grow our presence in the kingdom's retail space, while allowing us the opportunity to tap other markets where Jarar expands such as Qatar and the other Gulf markets," said Ahmad Khalil, newly appointed as regional general manager.
"Our forecast for 2005 is to grow at 40 per cent in the region while the overall Notebook market should touch between 30-35 per cent.
"Acer has been growing in this category and had a good quarter. But Toshiba's performance has been uniformly consistent and does not vary sharply from quarter to quarter. That has been our greatest strength.
"Our objectives remain to grow both revenue and volume ahead of the market, with a clear emphasis on profitability."
Toshiba, which has its strengths in the mid to upper tier notebook categories, will be launching the new Qosimo series in the Middle East next month. The models, while having their IT functions, also borrow extensively from the popular consumer electronics formats television, DVD, etc and integrate these into them.
Meanwhile, R. Muralidharan, general manager of Al Futtaim Technologies, the Toshiba distributor for the UAE, suggests the recent series of businesses going bust in the IT trade in Dubai has a lot to do with the presence of "fly-by-night operators" looking to make a fast buck.
"As long as vendors realise the need is to provide value for money for customers, the market will be all right. It is the presence of the fly-by-night operators who are spoiling the market for everyone by going in for unrealistic price cutting and other gimmicks.
Gulf News
