Aethra plots UK expansion

The new company will work separately from Imago. Wright hopes, it will provide the UK with a third strong videoconferencing brand to offer resellers.

‘Now is the time to strike in the UK', explained Marco Viezzoli, CEO Aethra, thinks this is the right time to aim at the UK market, in particular on the education and social services environments. ‘Thanks to our new brand identity and market philosophy, we are able to provide the UK market with an alternative approach to achieving top-class communications solutions,' he said.

Wright, MD for Aethra UK Ltd, forecasted the company will deliver a 10-fold increase in business and achieve 10 per cent market share within three years. He said, ‘Aethra is a very special company and I am proud to be spearheading their new operations here in the UK. Our offices have already been set up and I've recruited a team of specialists to work with me on developing the UK market. Aethra's technology and support services are already strong and our main focus is to recruit resellers across the UK. The video conferencing market has exploded over the past 5 years and Aethra are perfectly positioned to capitalise on that expansion. Our ultimate goal is to become the undisputed third player in the UK market within 3 years.'

Aethra will discontinue its deal with Medium UK.

The UK market for video conferencing systems is the by far the largest and most consolidated in Europe. According to a videoconferencing report by Key Note Publications (March 2007), the UK market for video conferencing equipment and services will grow from £202m in 2006 to £294m in 2011. Industry analysts Wainhouse Research also report revenues of over £41m in 2007 just for the executive and room-based video conferencing system sector (Videoconferencing Endpoints Quarterly Report, May 15, 2008).