Minolta has topped the colour copier-printer market for the second consecutive year, with a 37.9% market share in colour copier placements in SA in the 12 months to end 2002, according to the results of the recent InfoSource Spring 2003 survey.
Despite an overall 6% decline in new unit placements in the total colour copier-printer market (581 units in 2002, down from 620 units in 2001), Minolta`s market share increased 2.4% from 35.5% in 2001 as a result of placing 220 new colour copiers in the market in 2002.
Marianna Gdanis, product manager, colour division, Minolta SA, 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 (cpm), declining some 49%. The 8-12 cpm segment also showed a decline of 24%. "In fact, in 2001, the 1-12 cpm segment accounted for 80% of the total copier market, which dropped to 52.8% of the market in 2002," she says.
In the 13-29 cpm category, which saw a massive 130% increase in 2002 and accounted for 45.8% of the total colour placements, Minolta secured 43.2% of the market and increased sales in this segment by just over 52%.
The 30+ cpm category is still relatively small, only accounting for 1.2% of the total market. "With the introduction of Minolta`s award-winning 31cpm CF3102 into this segment, we are looking forward to seeing an increase in the number of units placed in this segment due to the product being incredibly well priced for its specification," says Gdanis.
According to Gdanis, Minolta`s market share success can be attributed to a competitively priced product range, and top quality products that have received Editor`s Choice Awards and Bertl Five Star ratings. In addition, Minolta`s comprehensive service, including sales, hardware, software and technical support and consumables and maintenance support, has also attracted customers.
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