The General Manager, SIMS Nigeria, Mr. Fab Uzor, has said the partnership between the firm and foremost electronics original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa (PMMEA) will complement Federal Government’s efforts at diversifying the economy and help to jump-start the country’s industrial revolution.
SIMS Nigeria, a world class electronics and home appliances marketing/distribution company partnership with SIMS underscores the coming together of two topflight brands in the consumer electronics market to not only create value for the Nigerian market but also solve the riddle of substandard electronic products that have infiltrated the local market.
Mr. Uzor said the firm’s pedigree as a foremost electronics distributor was a perfect match for Panasonic’s competitive stance in the global consumer electronics market.
He said: “We are excited partnering with Panasonic. Many years of operating in the Nigerian market has given us an edge in understanding the psyche of the consumer. The market is very competitive because of the number of brands that play here. As a business, you need special skills in understanding your customers to make a head way. We have successfully done this over the years which gave us prominence in the competitive electronics market.”
With no fewer than 51 per cent of online shoppers expressing concerns over poor after-sales service, incomplete and damaged goods and inaccurate product details on online stores, the partnership with SIMS Nigeria is an effortless way to boost greater consumer experience across the various touch points. The robust after-sale services that form an integral part of this partnership provide a better way to guarantee customer satisfaction.
According to him, what seems to have triggered the manufacturing model of the Panasonic brand is how the nation’s penchant for importation was exposed by the caprices of the international crude oil market last year. Following the global oil glut and a curious over-reliance on proceeds from crude oil, the nation’s economy dipped in fortune with a steady decline in GDP earnings.
While many suggested diversification of the economy as solution, a focus on manufacturing which accounted for 9.29 per cent of Nigeria’s nominal GDP in the second quarter of last year, is regarded as a surefire way to place the ailing economy on the path to real progress.
Speaking on the development PMMAF’s Managing Director, Mr. Shinichi Wakita, said the new arrangement is geared towards achieving maximum consumer satisfaction and harnessing the prospects of the nation’s manufacturing industry.
“This joint venture will open new horizons for the market in terms of job creations and knowledge elevation. We are optimistic that this new approach will contribute to Nigeria’s economy in tangible ways,” he said
Speaking on the development, Mr. Uzor said: “Since the commencement of operations in 1987, SIMS has grown to become one of the leading names in electronics business in Nigeria. Our spread will also avail our consumers the opportunity of purchasing quality Panasonic brands that are backed with warranty and superb after sales services at our numerous state-of-the-art showrooms and stores. We also have arrangements where we deliver products straight to the homes and offices of the consumer.”
Aside making a bold statement with a partnership that wields great value for the consumers, the pact unfolds a bigger foretaste of opportunities to shore up the prospects of industrial production which declined by 6.60 per cent in the second quarter of last year. To achieve this, Panasonic announced the establishment of a local manufacturing unit for air-conditioners and TVs in Nigeria, with Lagos as take-off point. Over 150 people have so far been recruited to kick-start operations with a strategic plan to produce around 60,000 TVs and almost 100,000 air-conditioners per year at this unit.
Mr. Wakita said the move by the Fortune 500 company is aimed at enhancing customer touch points across Nigeria by creating quality products that are locally fit and in response to the demands of the growing electronics consumer market in the country.
“Panasonic has always delighted itself in working for the Nigerian market. We are a customer-loving brand and this market motivates us to keep going with our business philosophy hence the concept of producing ‘locally-fit’ products comes through us effortlessly,” Wakita said.
“Our locally based AC and TV manufacturing unit reflects Panasonic’s basic business philosophy of contribution to the society as it will provide various opportunities for Nigerian workforce to understand the Japanese craft and craftsmanship through our expert training programs. This joint venture will open new horizons for the market in terms of job creations and knowledge elevation,” he said. Wakita further stated that the partnership would help both companies to meet Nigerians’ shared love for customised products and aspiration to own and associate with quality products.
The deal signals the beginning of seamless, up-to-the-minute access to the latest models of Panasonic products through the SIMS Nigeria outlets spread across the length and breadth of the nation.
For ages, Asian markets have thrived on the wheels of cost advantage. But since the dawn of the 1990s, that old trick seems to have lost its spark, especially when penetrating a bigger and savvy African market. Today, premium technologies and quality of products and services form the core of competitive advantage in our market. This is a killer-instinct of winning Asian brands. And expectedly, Panasonic has not hesitated to toe this winning path. This, Wakita said, informs how Panasonic is rewriting the rules of the electronic business to meet the needs of consumers who appreciate quality.
“Our strategy is not anchored on quantity but rather, our emphasis is on producing quality products that are equally affordable. We have changed our strategy. We deploy quality raw materials to produce quality products with the best of technology. We are trying to tell Nigerians that we are back and better with renewed vigour to serve the needs of our consumers. We are not competing with the low-end brands,” he said.
