BitDefender second top favourite in France

BitDefender, the only antivirus product still developed in Romania is the second best-selling piece of software on the retail segment in France, according to the representatives of Softwin, the company that created and is now distributing the IT security programme.

After having jumped two places in only a matter of months, BitDefender could soon become the best-selling software product as far as French individual consumers are concerned. At least this is what Softwin’s management expects. The company representatives say the French market absorbs 100,000 antivirus product licenses a month. BitDefender accounts for 9% of the retail segment (software packaged in a box and sold at various stores), where sales are estimated at 4 million euros. BitDefender is distributed by Editions Profil in France, a company whose network services most of the country. The Romanian antivirus product is currently sold through stores like Fnac, Virgin or Surcouf, which specialise in electronics and software, as well as through hypermarkets like Auchan, Carrefour, Cora or Metro.

In Romania, Softwin started selling BitDefender through Germanos, UltraPro, Diverta and Depozitul de Calculatoare stores, as well, last year and accounts for 40% of the antivirus market at the moment, the management estimates.

“Even though we have no official data in this respect, due to our presence in the major store chains and the more than affordable price, we may say we are on a leading position on the retail software market in Romania, as well,” said Bogdan Irina, business development manager for BitDefender within Softwin.

The company says BitDefender protects more than 120 million users in 100 countries.

In June last year, Microsoft bought from Softwin’s Romanian rival GeCAD Software, the RAV antivirus technology in order to integrate it in its own software products. RAV ceased to exist as a commercial product on the market at the time. A few months later, Softwin announced it was opening offices in Germany and Spain, by buying a local BitDefender distributor. The expansion will go on this year. “We have set 17 target markets for this year,” Florin Talpes, Softwin’s chairman says. The targets include UK, US, Canada, China, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

Softwin does not release financials, but according to the Finance Ministry, it logged nearly 107bn ROL turnover and 32bn ROL net profit in 2002.
iuliana.susanu@zf.ro