Japanese global printing and information technology firm Epson has opened its East African office in Kenya. In a bid to step up competition for the potential-laden  East African regional market with its rival HP (Hewlett Packard), Epson’s Nairobi office is poised to drive the sales of its flagship products such as printers, cartridges, projectors and scanners in Eastern Africa hub.

According to Epson’s regional manager for East Africa Mr Mukesh Bector, Kenya is a “trend-setter in the information technology industry” being the largest market in East Africa.

He added that the company opted to establish their regional office in Nairobi due to “the stable economic and political atmosphere” which is “conducive for growth and the country is home to many embassies and foreign missions in the region”.

The IT firm’s CEO  also said the company will  be targeting the banking sector (with its cheque truncation, scanner solutions and LCD projectors) and the education sector (smart boards) to boost sales.

“Each of our products is targeted specially to the local needs,” said Ms Jennifer Mbogo, the Business Account Manager at the Nairobi office.

According to Businessdailyafrica, the entry of Epson into East Africa through Nairobi follows a precedent where global firms have pitched their tent in Nairobi as strategic entry point into the larger regional market. For instance, HP, a major printing and IT solutions company, set base in Nairobi in 2005.

Also, Korean electronics giant Samsung and LG have established regional liaison offices in Kenya in 2003 and this year respectively.

Epson ran its entire African operations from South Africa. Reports indicate that the Nairobi office will be primarily used to provide business support services.

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