Acer Computer (ME) stated that it has taken the lead in Saudi Arabia in sales of its Notebook computers and is just 0.2 percent from the top spot in the UAE market. Figures from global analysts IDC show that Acer grew by 1,289.3 percent for Notebook sales in the UAE during the second quarter of 2004, compared to the same period last year, giving it a market share of 18 percent, only 0.2 percent behind the leader. In the Kingdom, Acer Notebooks took first position with 22.7 percent of the market, six percent ahead of its nearest rival, representing a growth rate of 350.5 percent on the second quarter of 2003.
The results have been hailed as exceptional by industry experts. “Acer’s year-on-year growth is remarkable, demonstrating one of the highest annual growth rates that we have ever recorded, moving Acer to a strong position in the Saudi Arabian and UAE markets,” said Jyoti Lachandani, regional director, IDC Middle East and North Africa.
“These figures represent a significant success for Acer in the region’s key markets of Saudi Arabia and the UAE and are a testament to the hard work of our people,” said Krishna Murthy, GM, Acer Computer (ME).
Acer is also out-performing its competitors in the desktop market, recording the highest growth rates in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, up 271.8 percent and 132.3 percent respectively from Q2 last year. The company now has 12 percent market share in the UAE and 13.8 percent in Saudi Arabia, moving it up to third position in both territories.
“In both the desktop and mobile sectors, Acer is challenging for the lead. The Middle East is experiencing a strong demand for personal computing and we expect that to continue in the coming months. We still have work to do, but this year’s second quarter growth puts us in a strong position to move forward even further,” added Philip Ashkar, director of sales and marketing, Acer Computer (ME).