HP plans to roll out 12 printing products

Hewlett-Packard has announced a new go-to-market strategy for its personal printing division. The new plan is aimed at further consolidating its position in the printing market and also reaching out to the masses.

The company hopes to strengthen its product portfolio in the personal printing segment by launching 12 new products.

Vibhor Bansal, country marketing manager, personal printing products, imaging & printing group, Hewlett-Packard, said, "We foresee immense potential in the photo printing segment here which rides the boom in the market of image-capturing devices such as mobile phones and digital cameras. Our go-to-market strategy with new personal printing solutions is aimed at strengthening our leadership position in the country by addressing the mass market."

HP plans to launch market development programmes, targetting various vertical segments such as jewellers, exporters, design agencies, photographers and self-employed professionals.

Besides, aimed at the education sector, the company is rolling out new programmes. As part of this, HP will pilot demonstration programmes in some select schools in New Delhi and will later roll out this in Bangalore and Mumbai too.

Bansal said the company will hold channel road shows and training across 100 cities in the next three months. The programme is aimed at educating channel partners on the new product portfolio and technologies, he said.

Focussing more on upcountry, HP has plans to increase its sales reach from 300 cities to 450 cities for the personal printing range. Bansal said the company was soon going to increase its consumer support coverage from 114 cities to 155 cities and increase the number of service centres from 273 to 342.

According to IDC, HP had a market share of 75 per cent in the single function inkjet printer segment and 87 per cent market share in the inkjet all-in-one segment in the second quarter of 2006.

HP's new personal printing range is priced between Rs 2,999 and Rs 15,999.