Profitable partnership

Komputronik, a Poznań-based distributor of computer equipment, software and consumer electronics, has signed a "Direct OEM Partner Contract" with Microsoft which allows it to purchase Microsoft systems directly from the producer. The company hopes this move will allow it to reduce prices on the products it assembles and distributes. The reduction in price "may be over $10 [zł.27.7] net per item, since the price of the operating system makes up a significant part of a PC," Maciej Piotrowski, Komputronik's deputy marketing director told WBJ.

Company officials also hope the move will increase the firm's chances in public-procurement tenders. Moreover, the partnership is expected to help facilitate the company's development of its outlet network and online shop.

Still, as profitable and prestigious as obtaining such a contract from Microsoft is - only five other IT suppliers in Poland can boast similar agreements - it is not expected to have a significant impact on the revenue and profit projection for this year, Piotrowski said.

The agreement comes as Komputronik's competitors continue to strengthen their positions in the market, and are poised to benefit from Poland's rapidly growing demand for IT products. Vobis, for example, plans to expand its own network of outlets, and will debut on the bourse in the fall. At about the same time, the WSE will also see the IPO of Cypriot firm Asbis, which operates mainly in CEE and Russia. That firm has declared that it intends to become the leader in Poland's IT-equipment market.

In 2006 Komputronik posted zł.8.6 million in net profit, 160-percent higher than in the previous year.