Victoria launch pad into Asia for Digital Media Managed Services

Melbourne, April 11, 2006

Following the launch of its Digital Media Centre in November last year, Fujitsu Australia today announced that it is leading a consortium of vendors to provide a full end-to-end digital media managed service across 45 1st Choice Liquor Superstores over the next three years. This news comes as Marsha Thomson, Victorian ICT Minister, leads a trade mission to Japan to forge ongoing partnerships between Japanese and Victorian companies, which will include the promotion of Victoria’s digital media expertise to the Japanese market.

It was during Marsha Thomson’s previous trade mission to Japan in June 2005 that the concept for Fujitsu’s Digital Media Centre of Excellence in Melbourne first came about. The Centre of Excellence showcases Australian expertise in digital media technology, which has seen exponential growth in recent months.

Rod Vawdrey, Chief Executive Officer, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand said, “Since the launch of the Digital Media Centre of Excellence in November 2005 Fujitsu has partnered with a number of pure play digital media specialists to provide an end-to-end digital media managed service. In addition to the roll-out at 1st Choice Liquor we have also started working with a number of other companies in Australia and South East Asia. The success of our digital media managed service has resulted in an increased headcount for Fujitsu Australia and has created opportunities for Australian companies such as Beach Hut Media, NeoPurple and CNG Systems to enter into new export markets, including Asia.”

Brett Goldsworthy, Chief Executive Officer, Beach Hut Media said, “From the customer’s point of view, the ability for Fujitsu and its partners to provide a full end-to-end managed service is very appealing. It allows the customer to focus on producing advertising and sales content and not have to worry about how they’re going to distribute it. Organisations can also rest assured that they are running their digital media on a stable network and standardised platform, which is particularly appealing to organisations who wish to roll out digital media across multiple geographies. By working with Fujitsu, we have begun commercial discussions with companies in South East Asia and China. We have also been able to attract higher quality people who want to work in this exciting new area.”

Michael Fitzgibbon, Managing Director, CNG Systems said, “By partnering with Fujitsu, CNG is now working with a number of blue chip clients which would not have been possible 12 months ago. Our work in the digital media space is driving income for the rest of the business and is enabling us to offer a national, and soon international, capability. We’ve already hired ten new staff to work on digital media roll-outs in Australia, which we expect to explode in the next 12 months.”

Charles Maynard, Chief Executive Officer, NeoPurple said, “Fujitsu has brought together a number of partners with specialist skill sets to deliver an end-to-end solution for its customers. There are companies that purport to offer an end-to-end solution but those that do are generalists who do not have strengths across all areas including design, proof of concept, integration, and content delivery and management. With advertisers increasingly looking for ways to touch their customers more directly, digital media networks look set for a very bright future.”

Rod Vawdrey said, “Our sister companies, Fujitsu Thailand, Fujitsu Taiwan and Fujitsu Singapore, are currently implementing managed service offerings based on the successful model recently executed in Australia. As the digital media market increasingly redefines customer and corporate communications, we will continue to grow and extend our capabilities in the area of digital technology and services to maintain our leadership edge and help develop the digital signage market across the Asia Pacific region.”