OKI Printing Solutions looking to get top spot

OKI unveils new global rebranding strategy as it aims to increase its market share

OKI Systems, part of the OKI Electric Group, has changed its name to OKI Printing Solutions, part of a global rebranding strategy as the company campaigns to increase market share.

Graham Lowes, strategic planning director at OKI Printing Solutions, said: “The name-change enables us to create consistent brand identity across the 120 countries we are represented in. Certain parts of the firm have been selling under different brand identities. The new name should take away any confusion.

“Our main goal this year is to try to gain market share. Hewlett-Packard (HP) is the leader in the UK, we are number two, but we want to become a bigger player. HP will no doubt move forward, so we need to ensure that we keep growing too.”

The firm has launched an aggressive marketing campaign called “You are what you print”, encouraging end-users to differentiate their business and to see print as a solution.

OKI sells only through the channel, using distributors Midwich, Micro Peripherals and Northamber. “We want to work closer with the number of resellers we have and we also want to broaden the channel,” Lowes added.

Midwich has been working with OKI for over 10 years and has just been named OKI’s Distributor of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. Alex Ward, commercial director at Midwich, said: “I think OKI will be successful in gaining market share as it doesn’t have other businesses to distract it; its core business is print. Plus it is very channel focused and actively looks to provide support at both distributor and reseller level.”

Ward said that OKI’s products tend to be better because “you get more for your money in terms of speed and ease of use”, and that OKI also has a “broader range of products than most of its competitors”.