central and eastern Europe, growth rates are as high as 20%. We are investing heavily in these locations. We have established sales offices in Poland and Russia in order to better serve these important locations. Our printing business is growing particularly strongly across this region.” Despite such rapid growth and expansion, Brother’s secret has been to maintain a strong focus on managing clients on a local level while simultaneously benefiting from a robust global strategy and structure. “There is a significant level of trust placed in local management teams,” says Mr Koike. “They are granted a lot of autonomy and this has enabled them to thrive in their own local markets. But there is equally a very close, strong bond between local operations in Europe and Japan. That relationship is what helps to drive the entire business forward. The fact that many of our locally recruited managers across Europe have worked happily and successfully for Brother for many years is the proof of this approach.” The company is also committed to technological developments and innovation, with 6% of total revenue funnelled into research and development. It expects to spend a whopping 130 billion yen on R&D between now and 2012, with a further 350 billion yen going on capital expenditure and strategic investment. Such a commitment ensures that Brother is well placed to bring the right products to the right markets at the right time. “Our main focus for growth is the printing business,” says Mr Koike. “To date we have focused a lot on the small office and home office market, but we are increasingly focusing on the business customer, for example with medium-sized operations. Just last month we launched a ground-breaking A3-sized inkjet multifunction product, purely targeted at the business market. The MFC-6490CW is the smallest, most compact of its type in the world and this is typical of the quality, compactness, ease of use and value that Brother prides itself in providing.” Before this, small businesses or home workers could not print A3 without a very large printer. This breakthrough product gives them the printing functionality of a large company at a fraction of the cost.
CARING ABOUT YOUR FUTURE ENVIRONMENT And what is most impressive about the Brother growth story in its centennial year is the fact that it is being achieved with a very clear emphasis on environmental sustainability. A uniform policy across the entire group promotes the delivery of not just product performance and quality but also new values in environmental considerations. For example, the new generation of Brother inkjet multifunction printers complies with Energy Star and Germany’s strict Blue Angel environmental standards. Brother also opened a second European recycling facility in Slovakia in 2007. It is such dedication to perfection across all aspects of its operation that makes this 100-year-old company a truly 21stcentury enterprise, committed to the development of new technologies and the delivery of innovative products created with the customer in mind.
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