EMC expects strong Asian demand
LYDIA ZAJC
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EMC Computer Systems, part of the world's biggest data storage firm, is looking forward to strong demand for its products in the Asia-Pacific region.
"In the year 2000, we'll have brought on hundreds of new customers," predicted Sean Kerins, director of marketing, sales and operations for the Asia-Pacific region. Kerins, who flew in from Singapore this week to speak at a conference and make client rounds, declined to say how many clients the company has now.
EMC Computer Systems consolidates a client's information by connecting all sorts of Unix applications to desktop computers and other systems with its "platform-agnostic" software.
Parent EMC, based in the United States and listed on Nasdaq, is also expanding rapidly, serving mostly clients in the financial services sector. But sales in the Asia-Pacific region are increasing the quickest of all.
"We are growing more dramatically here in Asia-Pac than anywhere else," Kerins added. In the second quarter, the Asia-Pacific region posted growth of 111 per cent on a year-over-year basis.
Electronic data storage will grow to a US$50-billion annual business worldwide within two years, with the biggest demand coming from Asia, EMC Computer Systems said.
Over the last 18 months, the company has doubled its staff to 1,800 members, Kerins said. "We're hiring at a pretty busy clip."
EMC Computer Systems, which already counts HSBC, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Pacific Century CyberWorks among its clients, plans to keep adding them at a fast pace. "If we take on hundreds this year, we'll take on three figures next year," Kerins said. |
