Spain’s SMEs are first to
feel pain in slowdown
Although analysts’ 9% growth predictions for 2008 sound like good news, Spanish IT
players are not as enthusiastic as they might be. The slowdown in the real estate sector,
which has been the main economic driver of recent years, is expected to affect IT
investments in 2008. While the SME sector will be hardest hit, larger enterprises won’t
feel the pinch until 2009...
pain’s SMEs will be the However, the market
S
first segment of the intelligence firm also warns
IT industry to feel the about excessive enthusiasm, as
pressures of economic headwinds it believes that the economic
in 2008. In a recent study, AETIC, slowdown will affect the
the Spanish association of IT and hardware segment at the end
telco companies, claims the Spanish of the year, while software and
ICT sector reported an overall services won’t feel the pressure
6% growth in 2007, clocking up until 2009.
€101.35bn in sales. According to Jaime Soler,
The IT subsection of the managing director at Spanish
market registered an even stronger disti Vinzeo (next page,
growth of 9%, thanks mainly to left), in Q1 ‘08, in addition
services, which accounted for 37% to a decrease in consumer
of the business. Hardware and software acconted for 35% and 17% of sales purchases, the market has been affected by Spanish general elections which
respectively. have reduced government’s investment in the sector.
“Although growth has slightly slowed down in 2007, moving from 9-10% of Vinzeo, which, he claims, is the only local distributor to outdo international
the last few years to 6%, the sector continues to show a remarkable, though players such as Ingram Micro, Tech Data and Esprinet in terms of turnover, aims
uneven drive,” says AETIC President, Jesús Banegas. “Consumer electronics and at “consolidating its leadership position in the IT distribution market”, achieving
IT are the main market drivers and we feel confident about the future.” a 75% growth by the end of the year.
Although, in his opinion, “it has been a remarkably good period”, Banegas “If we look at Q1 ‘08 figures, we can see that we are in the right direction to
also points out that predictions for 2008 are not so rosy. The economic achieve these ambitious targets,” Soler points out.
downturn will start to affect growth at the end of the year and more He is firmly convinced that “in situations where companies find themselves
remarkably in early 2009. in a highly competitive environment and growth is slower than expected, it is
This news contradicts IDC Spain’s predictions for 2008, which show that the very important to improve productivity and efficiency.”
IT market should report a growth similar to 2007. “That’s why we hope that Spanish companies’ investments, particularly in
22 02 MAY 2008
It0808 - 22-25_Spain_SME.indd 22 30/04/2008 11:54:38
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