Companies offering sales and support across Europe have all confirmed their attendance at ZBD’s second annual VISION international partner conference in Tallinn, Estonia in June. Following the success of ZBD’s inaugural partner event in Windsor in November 2008, ZBD has chosen to give the event an international flavour in choosing Tallinn, Estonia, home to the company’s first rollout with EMT, a subsidiary of global telecoms provider, TeliaSonera, and its partner ipMedia.

Buoyed by recent successes from the Mediterranean to the Baltics, ZBD’s 2-day event will enable its network of partners to celebrate and build further on what has been a milestone year for the group. Key members of the ZBD team will present on the successes of the past 12 months, announce new partners, new customers, and most importantly, provide partners with an update on the company’s product roadmap.

ZBD’s leadership team set out an aggressive growth strategy for the VISION programme, identifying multi-channel sales as the most effective way of propelling ZBD’s solutions in front of an international retail audience. By joining forces with carefully selected, like-minded partner companies in key European and North American markets, each able to offer detailed local knowledge and expertise, ZBD has created a multinational presence able to successfully bid for and secure significant contracts with leading retail operators.

“Our strategic focus on developing our international VISION partner programme has inspired a virtuous circle of growth for ZBD,” commented David Rogers, VP, Sales & Marketing. “As we have built our network connections and become more visible on the international stage, more and more potential partners have approached us to express their interest in working together.”

Martin Archer, Channel Manager, added: “The success of the VISION programme really has created a win-win situation for ZBD and our partners. We have been able to access specific sales, development and operational skills in local markets that would have been difficult and time-consuming to develop in-house, while our partners have been able to present ZBD’s unique range of epaper for retail solutions to their customers in a timely and cost-effective way.” said Archer.

To demonstrate the success of the programme, ZBD has announced yet further business wins in Italy and Estonia. Major Italian supermarket chain SISA continues to introduce ZBD’s epops (electronic point of purchase displays) across the fresh food departments of stores in its North West region working with Milan-based partner Proxima Centauri Informatica with 50 stores due for completion by the end of 2009. Leading Estonian telecoms provider EMT (a TeliaSonera subsidiary) has incorporated epops throughout its estate under an enterprise-wide national store reformatting programme designed in conjunction with ZBD’s local partner, ipMedia of Tallinn.

The partners themselves were equally supportive of the event. Gianluca Pinoli of Italy-based Proxima Centauri Informatica added: “ZBD’s partner conference is a great opportunity to learn about new product and marketing plans, as well sharing information and ideas with ZBD and other partners.”

The VISION international partner programme currently extends to Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, UK and USA and is in the process of being expanded still further. The programme continues to welcome additional proposals from partners keen to play a strategic role in delivering sophisticated store solutions to the retail market, particularly in Europe and the United States.

ENDS

Notes for editors

About ZBD:
ZBD is a leader in the design and supply of point of purchase electronic displays and associated software solutions for the retail industry. The company blends strategic vision and commercial focus with world-class scientific, engineering and manufacturing expertise. Through contemporary design, innovative technology and sound engineering, ZBD’s product portfolio offers an environmentally-friendly, 21st century alternative to the traditional paper shelf edge labelling usually employed in the retail environment. The company is supported by a team of leading venture capital groups – DFJ Esprit LLP, QinetiQ, TTP Ventures and the Dow Chemical Company. For further information, visit www.zbdsolutions.com. 

Media contact:
Sarah Hool
Tel: +44 (0)1344 887 508 or +44 (0) 7753 573490 (mobile)
sarah.hool@zbdsolutions.com

ZBD Displays Ltd, Longford Business Centre, Orchard Lea, Winkfield Lane, Windsor, SL4 4RU, UK.