HP explores SME printing sector

Hewlett-Packard plans to leverage demand for printers in the small and medium enterprise (SME) segment in India, reports The Economic Times.

“We see huge potential demand for printing from IT/ITES, pharmaceutical, entertainment and e-governance initiatives,” says Ajay Rawal, HP India's country category manager.

Rawal says the company is also keen on energy-saving initiatives with instant-on technology, which eliminates or minimises warm-up time. Toner particles now have wax element that melts quickly, improving efficiency at work. Rawal says laser printers are expected to constitute 50% of the total printer market from the current 38% in India.

A study from FedEx Express reveals that trade prospects for Asia's SMEs are increasingly linked to rising demand from China's domestic market, states Daily Express.

The study shows while cost controls remained crucial for survival, SME exporters may benefit from both new sources of consumer demand within Asia and from burgeoning trade volume in the region.

David Cunningham Jr, president of Asia-Pacific FedEx, says: “SMEs make up 95% of businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, and employing nearly 80% of the workforce, played a critical role in the region's economy, and are vital in its recovery and growth in 2010.”

The Taiwan government has decided to introduce an 'innovation voucher' programme to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop new technologies and products in collaboration with research organisations, according to The Central News Agency.

"If all goes smoothly, the programme might be put into practice after the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday at the earliest," said Lai Shan-kuei, director of SME administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The programme is patterned upon similar incentive projects adopted in the Netherlands, Singapore and the US in an effort to help SMEs adapt and upgrade to survive in the ever-more competitive global market, Lai said.