Siemens shows 65% rise in mobile sales

JAKARTA (JP): PT Dian Graha Elektrika, sole distributor of Siemens mobile phones, booked a 65 percent increase in sales in the first quarter of this year, thanks to the launching of its new model handset late last year.

The company's general manager Robby Darmasetiawan said Siemens' mobile phone sales reached 75,000 units during the January to March period compared with 45,000 units in the same period last year.

"With such a brisk market indication, we are optimistic of reaching a target of 200,000 units in sales this year," Robby told reporters during a media briefing on Siemens' business strategy in the Asia Pacific region.

Last year, the company sold a total of about 93,000 handsets.

According to Robby, the country's cellular phone sales are estimated to grow by 60 percent this year to 1.3 million units, from around 900,000 last year.

"We are hoping to increase our market share to 26 percent this year," Robby said.

In the media gathering, also present as keynote speaker was Siemens Mobile Phones Asia-Pacific vice president, Martin Kinne.

In his presentation, Kinne said that German-based Siemens AG had been turning its focus to sell its products in the Asia Pacific region due to the sluggish cellular phone market in Western Europe and the United States.

He said that the switch was made to anticipate a continued brisk growth in the company's mobile phone sales in the region in the past few years.

"Last year we grew three times faster than the cellular phone market," he said. Kinne said the company aimed to boost its sales growth to four times that of the market.

According to Kinne, the group has conducted extensive research into various consumer lifestyles in Asian countries, as different parts of it cater for different segments in the market.

Siemens manufactures many mobile phone models, including the M35, S35 and C35, which target different market segments. Last year, it launched its new SL 45 handset which incorporates a cellular phone and a built-in MP3 player in a sleek and compact design.

"We plan to launch a new product sometime in August," Robby said, declining to provide further details about it.(03)