Preliminary numbers from International Data Corporation (IDC) show steady second quarter growth of 15.5% PC shipments in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The growth is not so spectacular as the 26% worldwide recorded by IDC in the period, but EMEA as a whole has yet to feel the full impact of the trend for sub-$1,000 and nearly-free machines that painted such as rosy picture in the US (CI No 3,711).
Europe did see better than average growth in France, where PC sales grew 27%, but generally the picture was one of strong but even growth across most sectors, with some regions outside western Europe, including the biggest Middle East and Africa markets (Turkey, Israel and South Africa) slowing growth to around 9.7%. In the former Eastern bloc, markets such as Russia and Poland showed signs of recovery, but overall growth was still negative at -2.9%.
The real interest in Europe is in the looming merger of Fujitsu and Siemens computer businesses. Siemens held its own in fifth place in the quarter, moving 430,000 units, an increase of 26.5% on a year earlier, and holding onto 6.1% market share. This paled behind IBM, which notched unit sales of 677,000, an increase of 48.3%, and with 9.6% of the market consolidated its second position behind troubled Compaq, which managed 16.1% growth to 1.2 million units and a 17.2% market share. Hewlett-Packard, still bedding in its hybrid web-order, channel fulfil, also prospered, with sales up 39.8% at 517,000 units for a 7.3% share, just behind Dell, which moved 672,000 units, up 39.4% for 9.5% of the market.
However, Siemens’ glory lies before it. In sixth place overall Fujitsu took a 4.4% market share after growing unit sales 4.4% to 310,508. Some simple mathematics gives these two companies 10.5% of the market with combined shipments of 740,508 units. Of course, simple mathematics rarely apply when two companies tie the merger knot, but it seems safe to assume that, barring last minutes changes of mind, a combined Fujitsu/Siemens total will put the company comfortably in second place in the next IDC EMEA PC suppliers table.
