PNY flies high with Flash
Graphics card maker announces ambitious plans for Flash storage division
Graphics card manufacturer PNY Technologies has announced aggressive plans to ensure that its newly formed Flash storage division generates up to 50 per cent of the company's revenue in 2004.
The ambitious targets will rely heavily on PNY's strong retail contacts and key channel partners, including Computer 2000 (C2000), Dixons Stores Group, Dabs.com and Man and Machine.
PNY also expects to recruit more partners in the coming months to drive sales of current products. In addition, new products are expected to be launched this quarter.
The move follows a strong financial year in 2003, which saw PNY boost revenue by 160 per cent compared with 2002.
The firm is better known in the UK for its nVidia-based Verto desktop graphics cards and its position as the exclusive supplier of nVidia's Quadro FX professional graphics cards in Europe and the US.
Market watcher ChartTrack ranked the Verto cards as the leading sellers in the UK retail sector in 2003.
PNY's Flash business, formed late last year, already accounts for 30 per cent of sales, but PNY will be hoping that its recent partnership with C2000 will boost its profile with traditional VARs.
John Osborne, general manager of PC components at C2000, told CRN that Flash would be "a great opportunity" to complement its existing business. He added that with C2000's EDI tools, it is very easy for its large base of resellers to order products.
The company currently sells Flash products including Compact Flash, Secure Digital, Smart Media, Attache USB, MMC and Card readers, memory modules and peripherals. PNY claimed that Flash-based sales "grew incredibly in the last quarter of 2003".
Vicky Burgoyne, PNY's UK general manager, said: "The market for Flash is strong because of increased sales of digital hardware.
"Now the cost of an entry-level digital camera has reduced to become as competitive as 35mm cameras.
"This year, if not next, anywhere you would expect to see a roll of film on sale, there will be Flash cards hanging right beside them.
"We plan to be more innovative in marketing Flash with our channel partners and are looking to recruit more partners, especially for our USB Flash Drive and new associated products launching this quarter. These partners will cover a variety of different markets."