Taipei - Taiwanese computer manufacturer ASUS wants to become one of the world's top-three notebook brands before 2013, Chairman Jonney Shih said on Saturday. Speaking at the company's year-end party held ahead of the Chinese Near Year holidays, Shih said the company's goal was to make the ASUS laptop one of the world's top-five notebook computers before 2010, and ASUS one of the world's top-three notebook brands before 2013.
In 2008, ASUS plans to boost its output of notebook computers to 7 million units, up 60 per cent from 4.3 million in 2007.
The move would generate 170 billion Taiwan dollars (5.3 billion US dollars) in revenue, accounting for half of ASUS's 2008 revenues, Shih said.
Revenues from motherboards and Eee personal computers (Eee PCs) would make up 20 and 10 per cent of ASUS's 2008 total revenues respectively, he said.
ASUS President Jerry Shen admitted that to achieve these goals, ASUS needed to boost its market in the United States.
"Last year, Europe and Asia accounted for 40 per cent of ASUS's total revenues, other markets accounted for a little more than 10 per cent, and the US accounted for 5 per cent," he said.
"In the US, ASUS started from scratch. But now we have made our name known by launching the Eee PC, so we can expect fast growth," he said.
ASUS's US launch of the Eee PC in October 2007 caused a sensation as it is lightweight, inexpensive and easy to operate.
Founded in 1989 by four engineers from Acer, ASUSTeK Computer (ASUS) has grown into one of the world's leading computer and peripherals companies and the world's top motherboard supplier.
In 2007, the computer split into two companies - with ASUS focusing on making computers and ASUSTeK on manufacturing computer peripherals for large foreign companies.
Currently the ASUS notebook ranks between 8th and 10th place worldwide.
