Lenovo seeks to boost B2B sales

By Baek Byung-yeul

Lenovo is poised to expand its presence in the business-to-business market here with new products, the Korean unit of the Chinese PC manufacturer said Tuesday.

Lenovo Korea unveiled a ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano, a compact-sized desktop computer for enterprise use. Measuring 17.9 centimeters by 8.8 centimeters by 2.2 centimeters, the mini-desktop PC can fit into small spaces.

“The Nano is the world's smallest desktop computer for enterprise purposes. It is designed to be rugged with efficient heat dissipation,” Lee Hee-sung, general manager of Lenovo Korea, said during a press conference at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas hotel.

Though the general manager didn't give much detail on the business performance of the Korean unit, Lee said Lenovo Korea has been improving its presence in the B2B sector.

“Our business performance in the B2B sector is almost similar to that of the business-to-consumer sector. We are witnessing improvements in the B2B sector due to growing demand from enterprises,” Lee said.

The company said the Nano computer can be mounted behind the monitor or any location where traditional computers can't fit. It offers up to 30 percent greater annual savings compared to traditional large-sized desktops. It can be also powered by a USB-C dock or USB-C supported monitors.

In addition to the ThinkCentre mini-computers, Lenovo Korea also unveiled its ThinkShield cybersecurity products which offer software and hardware security measures for enterprise clients. It also introduced augmented reality and virtual reality headsets.

Lee, who spent his career at the Korean unit of U.S. tech giant Intel, was appointed as head of Lenovo Korea in June. He said it is too early to come up with specific business plans saying he is drawing up a business strategy for the Korean unit.

“It has been two months since I took control of the Korean unit, so now I am in the process of planning a business strategy. I spent the very first month getting to know our employees and business and the following month contacting our customers and business channels,” Lee said.

As the new chief, Lee said he will focus on creating more sales opportunities after competing with multinational IT companies and local giants such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

“While I was required to focus on strengthening partnerships with local electronics giants such as Samsung and LG as Intel's country manager, I am now concentrating on creating more business opportunities after competing with the local giants and multinational IT companies,” he said.