Wacom eyes stronger ties with Samsung, LG

By Kim Yoo-chul

Wacom, a leading Japanese company in technologies and products related to interactive pen displays, is planning to transfer its business-to-business unit (B2B) to its Korean affiliate.

The impetus, industry sources say, is to strengthen business links with Korean technology giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

Boasting a wealth of patents in pressure- and tilt-sensitive electronic pens and displays, the firm has a wide range of clients in the electronics industry, including Samsung, LG, Asustek Computer and Hewlett-Packard (HP). Wacom is benefiting from the boom in touch-screen tablets and other advanced mobile Internet devices.

Kim Joo-hyung, vice president of Wacom Korea, admitted talks with the company’s headquarters regarding taking over the company’s B2B division. The plan is nearly finalized and will be announced soon.

``It’s true that Wacom Korea has a keen interest in directly handling the division from headquarters,’’ Kim said.

Interactive pen displays and tablets are emerging as key for electronics makers due to the explosive growth in demand for tablets like the Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab.

At the recent IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin, Samsung exhibited the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note and Series 7 notebooks and Wacom's pen tablet technologies were involved in both of the products.

``The upcoming Samsung’s Windows 8 tablet will also use Wacom’s necessary solutions,’’ added Kim.

``If Wacom Korea takes over the B2B division from Japan, we will be closer to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics as the technology giants are using our pen display technologies.’’

Wacom recently introduced a new range of Bamboo pen tablets, the Bamboo Connect, Bamboo Capture and Bamboo Create.