It said that the new office will help provide “competitive products with a competitive pricing, focus on delivering high-quality customer service and after-sales care for its customers, developing stronger business relationships and expanding its distribution channel”.
OKI has had a presence in Russia since 1996 with a representative office in Moscow, at a time, it said, when the political climate was unclear.
According to the OEM, Russia’s business printer market (excluding inkjet) is the fifth largest in Europe and the 11th-largest in the world.
It added: “Impacted by the financial crisis, the market size for 2009 was $500 million, which is expected to reach $1.1 billion in 2012 and $1.5 billion in 2014.
OKI quoted IDC research, saying that monochrome printers cover over 60 percent of the printer and MFP market.
The company’s President, Harushige Sugimoto, said: “The new Russian sales office represents a great opportunity to increase our presence in this important market. By offering excellent customer service and tailored solutions for businesses we can continue to demonstrate OKI Data’s commitment to our customers whilst expanding our business in the emerging market.”
The company plans for further expansion by developing its MPS and support programs for dealers and partners, targeting not only existing sectors but also corporate and government markets.