BenQ takes on Romanian mobile market

Taiwan-based BenQ, part of Acer Group, is to introduce BenQ branded mobile phones to the Romanian market. The handsets will be distributed by OnLineMedia, which forms part of CG&GC group. The company plans to sell some 10 million euros’ worth of mobile phones on the local market next year, 3.5 million euros of which should be generated by OnLineMedia. “I believe 100,000 units per year is a realistic sales target,” said Michael Borze, BenQ’s general manager for Central and Eastern Europe. A BenQ handset will cost between 100 and 120 euros and will come with the latest fashion features (colour display, digital camera, polyphonic ringtones). BenQ expects turnover to reach 10 million euros in Romania this year and to see it double in 2005 based on mobile phone sales. Up to now its sales in Romania have been from its IT and electronics range: LCD displays, laptops, beamers, digital cameras, MP3 players etc. The Taiwanese company is one of the main producers of mobile phones for the major industry players. “Motorola is one of our main clients, having ordered 15 million mobile phones this year. Nokia, which until now had no clamshell model, ordered about 1.5 million units this year,” Michael Borze said. ZF