Two-way radio firm eyes Kenyan market share

Vertex Standard has delved into the local market as it seeks to compete with other manufacturers and sellers of two-way radios, including its mother company Motorola Solutions.

Vertex Business Development and Sales Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Pieter Pienaar, said the move is meant to provide cost-effective solutions to radio communication and enhance its business portfolio.

Pienaar said the company based in Tokyo, Japan but registered in the U.S. has come up with an innovative marketing drive that will endear its digital, portable and mobile radio devices especially in Kenya and the region.

“As demand for digital radio communication rises, small and medium businesses are looking for simple and affordable communication solutions, without compromising on quality,” he said.

Pienaar added that for a smooth transition to be there from analogue to digital systems, there is need for the Kenyan government to ensure there’s adequate and reliable internet connectivity. He reiterated that Kenya is a potential market for the firm’s new products given the country has overtaken South Africa as the gateway to African countries, coupled with its fast growing economy.

“In Africa we have a distributor based in South Africa and another in Europe. Globally it’s a very well known product with a long track, in Africa   its’ not well known but we hope to change that with our new drive,” he added.

Pienaar says they don’t openly target competitors but depend on what he terms as their products’ quality standards to promote their business using their re-sellers and have introduced new two-way radio products to local re-sellers.

“Many years ago South Africa was seen as the springboard to Africa, that role as been taken over by Kenya. We see Kenya as the gateway to Africa, so it’s important for us to start here, “opines Pienaar.

Vertex Marketing Manager, Bill Drummond, on his part, called for secure regulations for Kenya to realize her full digital potential, as the company focuses on digital marketing to take advantage of the exponential growth of the internet in Kenya and Africa at large.

“Internet is growing exponentially in Africa. Internet use in Kenya, based on figures from June, is at 45% and 85% are using social media. We’re encouraging our resellers to keep updating their websites and keep investing in social media strategies as well,” Drummond intimated.

Drummond says Vertex Standard works and markets its businesses in different ways and is independent, as much as the company is operating under Motorola as the mother company.

In June this year, Vertex Standard launched two of its new digital radio communication devices in South Africa and now targets to make forays into Kenya, with its products already being utilized by Kenyan security agencies.