Acer announces US$ 30 million investment in Brazil
Valor Econômico
One of the leading brands in the world market of computers, the Taiwanese manufacturer Acer announced yesterday, a US$ 30 million investment in Brazil this year. On a visit to the country, company executives stressed the need to strengthen the local operation, especially in a scenario where companies like IDC project Brazil will be the third largest computer market in the world in the next two years. "For this year, the estimate is to achieve earnings of US$ 500 million and grow 40% the volume of units in the local market", said Emmanuel Fromont, in his first international trip as company President for the Americas. Since the beginning of the year, Fromont accumulates the job of Corporate Vice President of Acer. In 2010, the company had sales of US$ 380 million in Brazil. The global earnings amounted to US$ 19.9 billion.
The investment marks another chapter in the complex relationship of the manufacturer with the country. After starting its operations in Brazil with its own manufacture in 1997, Acer decided to deactivate its local structure in 2001. Among other issues, the company, at the time, mentioned the country's delay in regulating the Computer Law. The manufacture of Acer notebooks and netbooks in the country was only reactivated at the end of 2009, through an outsourcing agreement for production with Compal, in Jundiaí (SP).
In this time interval, Acer happened to lead the notebook segment in Brazil without producing a single piece of equipment in the country. The scenario has fuelled criticism on the market, according to which Acer would be benefiting from the so-called gray market, that is, the illegal entrance of machines in the country. On the subject, Mark Hill, Vice President of Acer in the United States and current General Manager of the company in Brazil, said the demand for the products of the brand was met by the importation of retailers, and not by Acer. "The way we found to deal with the situation was to invest heavily for two years in the building of an effective operation in the country", he said.
With the new investment, Acer is consolidating a local structure that gathers 50 professionals in areas such as marketing, sales and post-sales, which includes support services and technical assistance. Fromont added the strategies include the search for new partnerships with retailers and significant investments in media to strengthen the brand throughout the country. From the point of view of products, Hill said it is scheduled for the third quarter the launching in the country of two models of tablets of the brand, based on the Google OS Android 3.0. At a first moment, the equipment will be imported, but the Executive said Acer is considering the local production, which might occur next year.