Huawei's Western Europe consumer business grows revenues 45% in 2015

Huawei said Western Europe proved a lucrative market for its Consumer Business Group in 2015, with sales revenue in the region growing 45 per cent year-on-year.

The vendor said total sales order value in Western Europe exceeded $2 billion (€1.8 billion) on the back of an increase in the number of its smartphones on sale in the region, closer operator and channel partner collaborations, and an improved retail experience for consumers.

Richard Ren, CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Group in Western Europe, said the company is offering more mid- and high-end smartphones in the market, and that its products "can be experienced in the majority of the region's shopping hot spots."

The company's efforts surrounding smartphones, collaboration and retail experience "are clearly reflected in the high sales performance but also in the increased brand awareness in the region," Ren added.

Ren said that Huawei will aim to build on its successful 2015 by "continuing to offer innovative and stylish devices" and by increasing "our R&D efforts to provide an outstanding hardware and software experience."

Huawei said its own research pointed to a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in brand awareness in Western Europe to 64 per cent in total. The company was ranked in 88th place in a measure of the top 100 global brands compiled by Interbrand, it added.

In terms of smartphones, Huawei noted that research company GfK ranked its market share in Italy at 10 per cent and its share in Spain at 13.8 per cent. The company also held a 55 per cent share of the mid- and high-tier sector of Spain's smartphone market, which covers devices in the €400 ($432) to €500 price bracket.

Huawei said it is now the second-largest Android brand in five Western European countries, with its position lifted by new smartphone launches including its P8 range and Mate S.

Richard Yu, overall CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, said the rapid growth achieved in Western Europe in 2015 encourages the company to "focus on the premium segment" in the market, which he added is one of Huawei's "key markets" globally.

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