“A realistic estimate for this year would be 7% or 8% of the tablet market. Optimistically speaking, I can say 12%, but that depends a lot on what happens on Black Friday. Usually Black Friday dictates the pace of the retail volume,” Alexandru Gheorghiu, sales manager of ABC Data, told ZF.
He added the company was currently working on increasing awareness of Colorovo brand in the country.
More than 500,000 tablets were sold in Romania last year, and the entire market stood at some EUR100 million, according to market estimates. Colorovo tablets’ main competitors are the local brands like Allview, E-Boda and Evolio, which account for about half of the local market.
The Colorovo tablet line-up includes three ranges – Lite (entry level), Vision (medium) and Supreme (premium). The premium range tablets are powered by Intel processors and the company will add a new tablet running Microsoft Windows 8.
“We are to expand the Intel powered tablet range, which is very important for the corporate and government segments on this market. We will soon launch a tablet running Microsoft Windows 8. It will have a 10” screen and come with a cover and keyboard,” Gheorghiu added.
The company also sells Colorovo-branded printer consumables and office equipment, and will soon add smartphones.
The local subsidiary of the ABC Data will also sell well-known brands in Central and Eastern Europe that are not available in Romania yet as a way to stand out from competitors.
“We will come up with new brands and with European distribution agreements for established Central and Eastern European brands,” Sergiu Lujanschi, general manager of ABC Data Romania said.
The company’s brand portfolio includes Polish Whitenergy battery supplier, 4world – maker of accessories for PCs, laptops and cell phones, TeXet – a maker of tablets in Russia and Kalorik, a US home appliances manufacturer.
ABC Data operates in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hungary, the Baltic countries, and entered Romania and Germany early this year.
The number one IT&C distributor in Romania is Network One Distribution (NOD), a company controlled by Iulian Stanciu, one of the most influential local IT entrepreneurs. NOD posted EUR196 million revenue last year.
The company carries 36,000 products from more than 200 manufacturers that go to Romania from Poland via the center in Oradea. It is to open a warehouse in Bucharest to serve both Romania and the countries in the region – Bulgaria, Moldova and the Adriatic area.
ABC Data’s goal is to be a top 15 distributor in Romania this year and make it among the top five in three years. Considering the revenue of the local IT&C distributors in 2012, ABC Data Romania’s revenue should exceed EUR10 million for it to join the top 15 and EUR40 million for a top five position.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)