2010 seen as good year for hard copy peripherals

MANILA, Philippines - Research group International Data Corp. (IDC) said it sees 2010 as the springboard for faster growth of the hardcopy peripherals (HCP) market in the Philippines in the coming years.

According to IDC, the encouraging economic and political climate in the country bodes well for the HCP market, with the rest of the year expected to be characterized by an upturn in spending.

“Multi-function peripherals (MFPs) are expected to further eat into the market share of single function peripherals (SFPs), in line with the increasing preference for more efficient and cost-effective printing solutions. Laser SFPs and color laser MFPs are also projected to have double-digit growth, especially with the availability of more affordable models that could call the attention of small offices/home offices (SOHOs), small businesses and, even home consumers,” IDC Philippines associate market analyst for HCPs Pamela Joy Sumanga said.

From January to June 2010, the Philippine HCP market grew 11.1 percent compared with the same period in 2009. Shipments of inkjet SFPs and MFPs expanded by 11.8 percent as consumer sentiment strengthens while laser SFPs and printer-base MFPs enjoyed a more buoyant growth.

IDC said demand for these HCP technologies increased 24 percent during the first half of 2010 due to the steady rise of business confidence, which encouraged information technology-related purchases.