[falconeye]

I've just found this:

Hoya press release about European operations

HOYA strengthen market share of French-based camera moved to Paris in Europe
2009/8/20

Bookmark Print: HOYA "PENTAX" review the structure of European sales account for about half the size of the company's sales of branded camera business, strengthen the market in France. 9 sales offices in Europe, moved from Hamburg to Paris and France and Germany, sales activities begin in the new system.

The digital camera market share in Europe, outside France, and 2.5 to 4 percent level, France has in recent years to maintain a 8-12% market share and higher than in other countries, from high visibility, regarded as the most important markets in Europe and France, aims to improve police efficiency and profitability.

HOYA is engaged in the business of the camera 400 and 800 employees while the reform and to reduce the ongoing review of the global digital camera sales system, change part of its European bases.

Currently has about 120 personnel across Europe in the camera business, half of which will be aggregated to the French.

Besides Europe, Japan, North America, four in China and increase its sales network of distributors and sales company, plans to expand in emerging markets such as Vietnam and India was untouched so far.

The Division is well sik Akira Satoshi PENTAKKUSUIMEJINGU system "to improve the brand strategy, venture development, Japan's appeal to the point of the product" and the development of dedicated low-cost models for emerging that discretion.

On the other hand, a review of product strategy. Compact digital camera is in a saturated world market, to expand its product line-up of the strength of the company's waterproof, a good market in terms of function and KONPAKUTODEJIKAME on a notch from the previous price and to consider plans to expand sales in an effort to differentiate themselves in the world.

Original:

ＨＯＹＡ　パリへ欧州カメラ拠点移転　高シェア仏中心に販売強化
2009/8/20

印刷する ブックマーク： 　ＨＯＹＡは「ペンタックス」ブランドのカメラ事業で同社の売り上げ規模約半分を占める欧州の販売体制を見直し、フランス市場を強化する。９月中に欧州の販売統括拠点を、独ハンブルクから仏パリに移転し、１０月から新体制で販売活動を始める。

　欧州でのデジタルカメラのシェアは、仏以外では２．５～４％程度なのに対し、仏はここ数年で８～１２％と他国に比べて高いシェアを維持し、認知度も高いことから、仏を欧州の最重要市場と位置づけ、効率化を図ったうえで収益力を高めるのが狙い。

　ＨＯＹＡは国内外のカメラ事業に携わる８００人の社員を４００人に削減するなどの改革を進める一方、グローバルなデジカメの販売体制見直しも進めており、欧州での拠点変更もその一環。

　現在、欧州全域に約１２０人のカメラ事業の要員がいるが、このうち半数は仏に集約する方針だ。

　欧州以外でも、日本、北米、中国の４つの販売会社と代理店網を活用して販売力を高める一方で、これまで手つかずだったインドやベトナムなど新興国でも市場開拓を進める方針。

　ただ、井植敏彰ペンタックスイメージング・システム事業部長は「ブランド戦略を向上させ、あえて『日本発』の商品である点を訴求していく」としており、新興国向けの低価格専用モデルの開発には慎重な姿勢を示している。

　一方で、商品戦略も見直す。コンパクト型のデジカメは世界的に市場が飽和状態にあるが、同社が強みを持つ防水仕様の商品ラインアップを拡充するほか、従来機より価格がワンランク上で機能面で優れるコンパクトデジカメも市場投入を検討するなど、差別化を図って世界で拡販する方針だ。

[Source: ŽY‹Æ�^‚g‚n‚x‚`�@ƒpƒŠ‚Ö‰¢�BƒJƒ�ƒ‰‹’“_ˆÚ“]�@�‚ƒVƒFƒA•§’†�S‚ɔ̔„‹*‰» - FujiSankei Business i.�^Bloomberg GLOBAL FINANCE]

Something I believe I could derive from the text:

• The move of Pentax Europe headquarters to Paris is effective today
• Europe is 50% of overall Pentax market
• Market share in Europe is 2.5-4% outside France
• Market share in France is 8-12%
• 400 and 800 employees: Can a Japanese speaker translate, please?
• 60 employees in Europe outside France.
• 60 employees in France.
• "to improve the brand strategy, venture development, Japan's appeal to the point of the product": Can a Japanese speaker translate, please?

I think the numbers are new to us.
Because Europe is maybe 1/3 of worldwide market, excluding France (which must be like 5% of worldwide market), we may conclude that the Pentax worldwide market is like 2% now. Probably, this is SLR + P&S combined and may not mean much for SLR alone.

Here are the numbers for the first six month of 2009: http://www.cipa.jp/english/data/pdf/d_200906.pdf

Although the chart is about shipments not actual sales it is about trends and it is obvious that where there are less sales the flow of goods reduces. There is a wealth of info there but the trends I see are:

- The numbers of p&s fell a lot compared to previous year across the globe;
- Sales of DSLRs fell significantly in Japan (-25%), North America (-30%), remained the same in Asia and GREW in Europe and *other areas* which I think are Australia, New Zealand and such (some members here reported massive growth in those 2);
- Europe has approximately 42% market share for DSLRs for the H1/09;
- Even more the worst market for Pentax (North America - and in fact this includes Canada where Pentax is doing much better than in the US) is only 22% of DSLRs market (I bet many wouldn't expect that)!
- The reported 2.5-4% market share IMO refers only to the big western markets. E.g the local importer here reported something like 8-10% market share (but over a much smaller numbers than in other countries);
- The reported intention to tap into India and other developing countries is one very good sign. Even in Eastern Europe there is an almost virgin market with huge potential and almost zero brand loyalty from the past. People here react very good to Pentax's strengths such as in body SR for all the lenses, weather sealing and general value for the money in the kit and dual kit configurations. If the Eastern importers will be supported more a significant portion of the market could become Pentax aware and loyal simply because most of the sales here are at the entry level and most look twice of what they get for the money. I hope the new Pentax Europe loses their previous blindness and act more aggressively.

Radu

[Alphonse]

Wow! France represents about 8-12% in terms of market shares for Pentax?

And yet I don't feel to be more privileged than any other users in other countries.

No forehand previews or news, very bad repair service center tested by bunch of Pentaxians, feelings that the sellers always advise Canikon DSLRs in shop,...

Then, how is it possible? Are you sure about these stats?

[Urkeldaedalus]

It's great that they are doing so well in France. I think they can build on that success.

The reported intention to tap into India and other developing countries is one very good sign. Even in Eastern Europe there is an almost virgin market with huge potential and almost zero brand loyalty from the past. People here react very good to Pentax's strengths such as in body SR for all the lenses, weather sealing and general value for the money in the kit and dual kit configurations. If the Eastern importers will be supported more a significant portion of the market could become Pentax aware and loyal simply because most of the sales here are at the entry level and most look twice of what they get for the money. I hope the new Pentax Europe loses their previous blindness and act more aggressively.

I agree with you here. India would obviously be huge if they could get a presence there, and I think Eastern Europe and even the Middle East are neglected markets. As much as it pains me to say it, if they're getting beaten up trying to sell things in America, they should probably focus on other countries where Canon and Nikon aren't so dominant to pick up the slack.

[janosh]

"Market share" is far secondary in importance to the gross size of the market in any marketing region vs the number of employees, advertising budget, shipping expenses etc in each region.

For example, having 100% of market share in some "3rd world" country might be far less profitable to Pentax than having 5% in Europe or US.

Ordinarily companies take number of employees vs profits in each region into account...it's almost exclusively advertising agencies that worry about "market share." That's because they see business as a horse race, they don't see things the way their client companies see them.

[ytterbium]

Eastern europe is canon already (and a little nikon).
Because of already highly developed support and distribution networks established for the office equipment (scanners, printers etc), which enter such "virgin" markets long before anyone needs fancy and expensive cameras. Pentax has nothing in here. Just one shop actually carrying them.
Manual lenses cost almost the same as new ones (because they are not common in here, like they are in US). Servicing something may turn into a nightmare.
The handful of people who had somehow acquired film pentax'es long ago went canon as well, when digital came. And the only affordable (priced similarly as film cameras) cameras at the time when digital catched up was Canon and HP P&S.

Eastern europe is canon already (and a little nikon).
Because of already highly developed support and distribution networks established for the office equipment (scanners, printers etc), which enter such "virgin" markets long before anyone needs fancy and expensive cameras. Pentax has nothing in here. Just one shop actually carrying them.
Manual lenses cost almost the same as new ones (because they are not common in here, like they are in US). Servicing something may turn into a nightmare.
The handful of people who had somehow acquired film pentax'es long ago went canon as well, when digital came. And the only affordable (priced similarly as film cameras) cameras at the time when digital catched up was Canon and HP P&S.

I tried not to generalize the situation from my country to the whole Eastern Europe because every case is different. Anyway the story of Sony's 20%+ market share in Poland shows that a company different from canikon can do well there.

Here most of the sales are entry level models in various bundles (kit, dual kit, kit + flash) and Nikon is first at quite a distance from Canon. IMO it's all a matter of understanding the particularities of every market and be flexible enough to meet them.

Radu

[falconeye]

Wow! France represents about 8-12% in terms of market shares for Pentax?

8-12% in France, not France for Pentax.
If France is maybe 17% of EU and EU is 50% for Pentax and France does 3x better than the rest of Europe, then France would account for about 19% of worldwide sales for Pentax. So, every fifth Pentax goes to France ...

Here are the numbers for the first six month of 2009: [url]

Ok, if Europe is 42% (rather than 1/3), then 2.5-4% outside France translate to (averaged) 3.6% market share in Europe including France and 3.0% market share worldwide.

This would be more in line with an earlier estimate (of mine) that Pentax dropped from 5% to 3.5% market share. A successful model can easily double this. Pentax, go innovate ...