Optoma projecting new image in Canada

Richmond Hill, Ont.-based Optoma Technology Inc. has been operating in Canada for nearly five years, but you would never know.

The maker of high-end DLP projectors concentrated on its OEM business and is only now interested in gaining brand share.

The company is producing data projectors for the IT business market. Optoma Canada general manager Lincoln Vaz said he hopes this line of projector will also capture market share in the educational, government and home theatre space as well.

One of Optoma’s goals is to move into the educational, government and corporate space with a full line of SVGA projectors. The company released the EP738 line with a street price of $1,299, which Vaz said will be positioned in these new markets for Optoma.

One of the key differentiators for Optoma, Vaz said is the brightness for static data presentations. Optoma projectors are designed for colour, he added. “Dark screen business projectors can’t show the depths of rain, for example,” he said.

Vaz has opted for a regional distribution strategy for Optoma in Canada. Instead of partnering with broadline distributors, Optoma Canada has agreements with Bell Microproducts, Stampede and Progression.

“There is more focus from regional distributors and they need a key player in the category to partner with,” Vaz said.

Another goal for Optoma is to grow its channel base. Vaz said Optoma has 30 direct dealers who are major players in both AV and IT in its region. He believes there are more than 500 projector resellers in Canada and that Optoma has touched about 20 per cent of them.

“We need to grow the rest of the IT channel because it is more profitable,” Vaz said.

He plans on offering volume incentive rebates, back end programs and MNSO training to capture more channel business.Vaz believes that 10 per cent growth in this area is realistic.

Optoma offers 20 to 28 per cent margins on its products.Its latest product is the MovieTime DVD projector, which features a built-in DVD player and integrated speakers.

MovieTime is targeted at home entertainment, gaming and portable business presentations.

Vaz said this product is very timely because DVD sales have out paced theatrical sales by 15 per cent this year.”Every one talks about the death of the box office. Well there were 19 straight weeks where box office sales were down this year,” he said.

Optoma also debuted its BigVizion, a customizable and modular 100-inch rear-projection display that can be either installed or built-into a wall. BigVizion is a video wall that features 1080 pixel resolution.

The company is also shipping micro-portable projectors. The EP729 XGA digital projector weighs-in at 2.2-pounds and features DDR DLP with 1,600 lumens and a contrast ratio of 2200:1.

Optoma produces many IT products in North America, but not LCD monitors, said Vaz. He added that the company is looking into entering that market.

However, Vaz categorized the heavily crowded monitor market place as a “dog’s breakfast”, but acknowledged that Optoma will see if it is feasible for the company.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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Paolo Del Nibletto
Paolo Del Nibletto
Former editor of Computer Dealer News, covering Canada's IT channel community.

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