Headset maker taps into Taiwan

GN Netcom Taiwan Ltd, a subsidiary of the world's largest producer of Bluetooth headsets, sold under the brandname Jabra, is in discussion with a local mobile phone vendor to co-develop Bluetooth headsets to be launched in Taiwan next year, an executive of the Denmark-based company said yesterday.

"We will work with a first-tier handset player here to come up with Bluetooth headsets under the joint-brands of both companies. The products will be introduced in the first half of next year," Henry Tai (戴文德), the firm's vice president for Asia-Pacific sales, said on the sidelines of a product launch.

"This will be a win-win collaboration for both parties, especially in carving a name for GN Netcom in the local headset market," Tai said, refusing to disclose the partner's name.

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless connection that links devices such as handsets, headsets and personal digital assistants.

GN Netcom Taiwan is the local headset manufacturing arm of GN Store Nord, a Denmark-based maker of headsets, hearing instruments and audio diagnostics equipment.

Aside from brandname operations, GN Netcom offers original equipment manufacturing (OEM) of headsets for global mobile phone makers. The company plans to pursue more partnerships with Taiwanese vendors in the future to increase market visibility, Tai said.

Brandname business is forecast to contribute 40 percent to the firm's revenues this year, with the remainder coming from OEM. Sales last year were equally split between the two divisions, Tai said.

According to country manager James Hung (洪明賢), its monthly sales of headsets in Taiwan this year have reached around 5,000 units, an encouraging result since it just moved into the local market in the middle of last year.

Volume will expand by 70 percent next year, mainly spurred by rising Bluetooth handset sales in the nation, he added.

"Although only 20 percent of mobile phones worldwide are now equipped with Bluetooth, we expect this figure to jump to 80 percent by 2009," Hung said.

Sales of Bluetooth phones in Taiwan are promising, Hung said, as this year's volume is expected to double from last year's 150,000 units. Hung forecasts another 50 percent increase next year.

To grab a larger slice of the market, GN Netcom has raised its number of distributors to nine from two in the last year.