Hitachi partner program reaches India

DQW NEWS BUREAU New Delhi, April 25 Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
(Hitachi GST) rolled out Hitachi Partners Privilege program (HPP) in India. The
program was initiated in China and Taiwan in 2007, and is now hitting the Indian
market. Under HPP, resellers, system integrators (SIs), system builders and
retailers of Hitachi can earn points and redeem gifts by selling the entire
product line of Hitachi GST desktop hard disk drive (HDD) products. Special
quarterly promotions will also be available, for example, in the second quarter
of this year, mobile hard drive products will also be available for the program.
“India is one of the key strategic markets with huge market potential in Asia,
and we have a substantial channel base established here,” said Robert Chu, VP-APAC,
Hitachi GST. “By rolling out the HPP program, not only can we reward our
partners and recognize their efforts, but we can also together explore and
identify more business opportunities, tap fast-growing markets, and thus enhance
HDD sales across India,” he added. The HDD market in India has grown rapidly
alongside growth in the desktop market, which, according to IDC, grew by nearly
11 percent in volume and reached 4.5 million in unit shipments in India during
the last FY. Personal computer shipments rose by 20 percent in 2007, and are
projected to reach a compound annual growth rate of about 20 percent over the
next five years. “HPP program is a great initiative to help channel partners
like us to tap India's rapid growing PC market,” said Malhar Shah of Arihant
Systems. Ramesh Purohit of Omshakti Computers added, “Through the HPP program,
we can maximize many other market opportunities.” HPP members, who join by
invitation from Hitachi GST, can earn points and redeem gifts on selling
eligible Hitachi GST HDD products. Hitachi GST has set-up a system to facilitate
the points earning and redemption process, whereby sales data will be collected
from HPP members periodically. Members can then redeem incentives of their
choice, including a wide selection of latest lifestyle and technology devices.