HPs Preferred Partner, Business Connexion, recently made the sale of HP's 250 000th locally assembled computer to Relyant Retail in Durban.

In 2003, HP's commitment to empowering South Africans resulted in a partnership with Matomo Technologies to deliver an affordable and reliable locally assembled desktop PC, also known as the Advanced Local Configuration (ALC).

The ALC is HP's biggest seller in the local desktop market, accounting for 70% of the company's desktop sales in 2005.

While the SA desktop market is growing at 10%, ALC boasts year on year growth of 15%, with sales of 6000 units a month in 2004, 7000 units per month in 2005, and is looking set to meet its target of 8000 units per month this year.

Matomo Technologies will move to larger premises at the end of this month, which will allow the company to increase capacity to between 12 000 and 15 000 PCs per month.

Stefan Minihold, HP's ALC product manager, says the local support that HP is able to offer its customers is a key factor in the success of the ALC.

The fact that Matomo assembles the PC enables HP to react faster to customer needs by building and delivering computers within a 72-hour turn around time in the requested configuration of their choice, he adds.

This partnership aims to give customers access to the reliability and international quality of a tier one brand, coupled with the high standards of local manufacturing that highlight the abundance of solid local skills.

These locally assembled desktops are intended to enable HP to address segments of the market that are both price-sensitive and brand-aware, and Matomo Technologies' Proudly South African accreditation aims to ensure that previously disadvantaged South Africans benefit from real empowerment.