Lenovo plans marketing blitz as its products go global

The Lenovo Group is preparing for a big international launch of its personal computers and mobile handsets this year as the mainland giant moves closer to acquiring IBM's personal computer unit.

This would mark the first time the company's products have extended their reach beyond Greater China, until now Lenovo's principal market.

The company's chief executive-designate, Stephen Ward, a senior vice-president and general manager of personal systems at IBM, said a country-by-country push for Lenovo's consumer computers would be made within the first year of the acquisition, expected to conclude by the end of this quarter.

A decision was yet to be made on launching Lenovo consumer computers in the United States to complement the large business customer base for IBM's ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktop systems.

Lenovo was also to hold a business partner conference in Beijing this week, where 'ideas for the international operations of the company's cellular phone business' would be discussed, Mr Ward told the South China Morning Post. 'Its size says that Lenovo will operate as a very global business,' he said.

The new Lenovo will be headquartered in Westchester County, New York. Other principal offices will be in Beijing and Raleigh, North Carolina.

With its deal in December last year to buy IBM's personal computer unit for US$1.75 billion, Lenovo will have an estimated annual revenue of US$12 billion and volume of 11.9 million computers - a fourfold increase in the Hong Kong-listed company's present business.