Seiko Epson opens new national branch as sales soar

One of the worlds' largest producers of computer printers and peripheries, Seiko Epson, opened its first branch in Poland yesterday. "This market, alongside the German one, has become a strategic point in Europe for us," said Saburo Kusama, president of the Seiko Epson Group. In the second quarter of this year, their sales in Poland and Central Europe shot up by 200%, while in Western Europe they fell by nearly 5%. Almost 90% of the $12 billion revenues come from sales of printers, semiconductors and projectors. Seiko Epson faces tough competition as its two main competitors, HP and Canon, already control over 75% of the market. Nevertheless Seiko Epson hopes to increase its market share to 15% this year. "Our price strategy will be related to local market conditions, but we will not flood the market with low quality cheap products," said Ramon Olle, head of Epson Europe. Statistics shows that the Polish market absorbs around one million printers per year, with the market growing at 2% each year. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B5) A.K.