SAMSUNG TO SELL SMALLEST MFP PRINTERS

[Anonymous]

Samsung to Sell Smallest Multi-Role Printer
Samsung
Electronics will soon release the world’s smallest and lightest
multifunction laser printer as a part of its ambitious plan to become
the no.1 manufacturer by 2010.
The
new SCX-4200 all-in-one model, which will arrive in stores early next
year, has dimensions of 415 x 360 x 235 millimeters and weighs 9.5
kilograms, which is slightly smaller and lighter than its current
SCX-4100 model. It can print out 18 pages per minute, and can be used
as a high-resolution color image scanner and a fax machine.
The new
compact all-in-one model is expected to boost the company’s growth in
the office appliances market. Earlier this month, Samsung’s vice
president Yun Jong-yong said that the company will increase investment
in the printing business over next five years to beat global
competitors such as Hewlett-Packard and Canon.
Samsung has been
earning most of its profits from sales in semiconductor chips, mobile
phones and display panels, and hasn’t been as successful in the office
machine businesses. But over the past few years, its worldwide sales of
printers have increased almost exponentially.
According to the
research firm IDC, the global laser printer market is expected to
expand from 3 million units this year to 5.8 million in 2009 with an
average growth rate of 28.2 percent. Sales of multifunctional printers
are also expected to increase by around 15 percent annually, the report
said.
“The worldwide printer market is estimated to be $100
billion, which is about double the TV market of around $55 billion,’’
said Choi Ji-sung, chief of Samsung’s digital media department during a
meeting with analysts in Seoul earlier this month. “Especially, laser
printers have unlimited growth potential. If we take advantage of our
technologies acquired from developing camcorders and DVD players, we
can surely make the printing business into one of our next-generation
growth engines.’’
Samsung started its office products business in
1983 by selling fax machines. It then began to sell laser printers in
1991, and developed inkjet printers four years later. Last year, the
company was second only to Hewlett-Packard in laser printer sales
worldwide. But it was ranked fifth in the multifunction laser printer
market.
The domestic printing market is already saturated with local
and global companies, and two global manufacturers, Lexmark of the
United States and Oki of Japan, joined the already-packed market this
month.

[Author]

November 30, 2005 at 10:50 AM