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Toshiba opens PH unit, Polycom to follow


With the local market for consumer and business IT products expected to expand further, Japanese technology giant Toshiba officially inaugurated its Philippine office last week while US-headquartered communications equipment firm Polycom also bared its plan to set up a local unit. For Toshiba, the company decided to establish a formal presence in the country after noting that the Philippines is forecast to grow as the second-fastest economy in Southeast Asia next to Indonesia. Before putting up its sales and marketing office here, Toshiba worked through a single distributor, Makati-based Tricom, to sell its computer products. But with the launch of a local subsidiary, the company has appointed another distributor, Ion Tech, to promote an expanded product line-up that now includes tablets, LCD televisions, and refrigerators. The local unit is headed by Japanese executives Tomoyasu Yamamoto as president and CEO and Shigenori Tokumitsu as executive officer corporate vice president. A local IT veteran, Michael Mondragon, was recruited as general manager for sales and marketing. Toshiba Philippines was actually established in April this year in Makati City, but was only formally launched last September 28 at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City. At the event, Toshiba executives presented the company’s ambitious business strategy while at the same time rolling out its latest line-up of products Yamamoto said the formation of the local office would help the company deliver products that are customized to meet the needs of customers in the Philippines. “For the past years, we have been reinforcing our marketing activities in Asean market to deliver products that address local needs and enhance brand awareness. We are very excited to have an opportunity to expand our business in the Philippines with the launch of a very strong line-up of TVs and PCs. We continue to make efforts to understand the market and look forward to meeting the needs of consumers throughout the Philippines," the Japanese official said. The company said it is eyeing to achieve market shares of 20 percent for LCD TVs, 12 percent for PCs, and 1 percent for tablets by the end of fiscal year 2013. At the event, Toshiba unveiled a new range of Android-powered Regza tablets in 7-inch size and 10.1-inch size, a 13.3-inch Ultrabook laptop, and 55-inch glasses-free 3DTV. While the computer products are already available, Mondragon said the revolutionary glass-less 3D TV is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2012. Meanwhile, voice and video conferencing equipment maker Polycom also revealed that is also in the process of putting up its Philippine office, Hecky Elayda, territory account manager for the Philippines at Polycom, said the company may open its local subsidiary before the current year is out. The company, however, is likely to retain its close working relationship with current distributor American Technologies Inc. Polycom is currently ramping its business products, particularly its “telepresence" offerings, in the country in an attempt to go head-to-head with tech giant Cisco. — Newsbytes.ph

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