Brother targets enterprise sector for higher margins

LIKE every other printer manufacturer, Brother is keen to step up its footprint in the managed print services scene.

To do this, the Japanese firm first has to get customers to see it as more than a consumer printing company, said Brother CEO and president Toshikazu Koike.

Its historical success as a consumer-focused producer of typewriters, home printers and label makers has, in some way, stuck, he said.

"Brother has been known in the market as a consumer company. You'll see our products in electronics (retail) stores. But we have been looking to step up our distribution to more medium and large businesses . . . We want to sell (higher margin) products for heavy usage," he said.

This strategy has seen varied success across different markets, and the company is seeing its efforts pay off in Western Europe and in…