Dell banks on China to drive PC growth

Computer manufacturer Dell is to boost its investment in China as part of a wider strategy to expand its footprint in emerging markets, AFP reported. Michael Dell, the company’s chairman and CEO, singled out China as market with a wealth of growth opportunities. He noted that demand for Dell products in the country was rising despite the weakening global economy, with sales up 33% year-on-year in the second quarter. Dell officials would not provide further figures on the company’s sales in China but said the strong second-quarter performance was due in no small part to new partnerships with eight major domestic retailers as well as about 2,500 new Dell retail outlets. Dell has set up 155 small business sales centers in China since mid-2007 and plans to increase that number to 1,500 by mid 2009. The firm’s shipments in the Asia-Pacific region rose 35% in the third-quarter, nearly three times faster than the industry average of 12%, according to preliminary analysis by IDC. Dell is the region’s third-largest PC retailer.