Minolta has topped the colour copier-printer market with a 35.5% market share in colour copier placements in SA in the 12 months to end-2001, according to the results of the recent InfoSource Spring 2002 survey.
This is as a result of a 193% increase in Minolta colour copier sales, in comparison to the industry`s 41% increase in total colour copier sales.
Minolta South Africa colour division product manager, Marianna Gdanis, says the results of the research are particularly pleasing, since some of the products were only launched in SA four months into the year under review. "In the `13-29 copiers per minute` category, Minolta secured 64.7% of the market in only eight months, off a zero base," she says.
Gdanis says the research results reveal that the demand for faster and more sophisticated colour copiers is growing, with total sales in the lower end of the market (1-7 copies per minute) declining 11.5%, while the top end of the market (8-29 copies per minute) increased 165%. "In fact, in 2000, the lower end of the market accounted for 70.6% of the total copier market, which dropped to 45% of the market in 2001.
"The '30+ copies per minute` category is still relatively small, only accounting for 1.3% of the total market. We are expecting to see growth in this segment in 2002, as more manufacturers introduce products in this range. Colour copiers are getting faster, more sophisticated, and more cost-efficient all the time," she says.
SA is one of a few countries in the world where Minolta boasts a number one ranking in colour copier market share. Gdanis says the growth in SA can be attributed to a competitively priced product range, and top quality products that have received Editors Choice Awards and Bertl Five Star ratings. "This is all backed up with a very focused colour division at Minolta South Africa, with a highly qualified software support division and a dedicated colour technical division.
"Minolta has already placed more units in the first six months of 2002 than total units in 2001, and is expecting market share to be boosted further, with an additional four models to be launched to the market later this year," says Gdanis.
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