KONICA MINOLTA DEVELOPING AUSTRALIA'S ICT EXPOSURE

20 May 2004
67/04

Today I opened Konica Minolta's Asia Pacific Regional Support Centre and presented the company with a Certificate of Recognition for its part in the development of Australia's information and communications technology (ICT) industry.

Konica Minolta is the latest in an impressive list of multinational companies that are choosing Australia as a base for their Asia Pacific regional support centres. Other multinationals to have done this include Oracle, UBS Warburg, Ericsson, Unisys, IBM and BMC Software.

Our multilingual workforce, high level ICT skills, low business costs and taxes, political stability, time zone and world class infrastructure offer an enticing combination of factors to companies with an eye to the bottom line.

The Asia Pacific Regional Support Centre opened today will provide support, technical training, training materials and information services to Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

The Certificate of Recognition also recognises Konica Minolta's valuable contribution to ICT industry development in Australia.

In 2003, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia (KMBSA) generated sales revenues of more than $136.6 million and it employs more than 400 people across Australia.

Like a number of other multinationals operating in our high-tech sector, Konica Minolta has played a crucial role in the development of some of Australia's smaller ICT businesses.

KMBSA has strategic alliances and partnerships with Australian firms including Fusion Digital, Gazelle Monitoring Systems, Mobile Data Communications.

One of the Government's key ICT goals is to foster the development of an efficient and competitive Australian ICT industry while ensuring business and household consumers continue to have access to quality and affordable ICT services.

To further this aim the Government encourages its ICT suppliers to make use of the skills and capabilities of Australian companies.

Konica Minolta has done exactly that and its strong involvement in Australia shows that the Government has been successful in creating a business environment that is attractive and uncomplicated for multinational corporations and maximises opportunities for Australian SMEs.


Media Contact: Carina Tan-Van Baren (02) 6277 7480 or 0439 425 373