Personal computer maker Lenovo said on Thursday it plans to introduce a slew of new models targeted at consumers and that the company would mount an all-out offensive in emerging markets to push sales.

The world's fourth-largest computer maker will launch 50 new models, including 24 new desktop computers, to target the consumer segment, which was becoming increasingly important, its CEO Yang Yuanqing said yesterday.

The new models, which will cover the low, medium and high-end market, will be rolled out within the company's 2009 fiscal year, which starts this month, the CEO said.

"Lenovo will apply its unique transactional business model, cost advantage and innovation capability into its consumer computer business," Yang said.

In the latest efforts to get the company back on track, Lenovo will beef up its presence in emerging markets and build them into new growth engines for the company, said Chen Shaopeng, president for Lenovo's Asia-Pacific region and Russia.

"The emerging markets, which account for 80 percent of the world's population, has huge growth potential and is a major market for us," said Chen, who is also in charge of Lenovo's newly established emerging market group, which includes China, Russia, India and Africa.

Lenovo will build more sales channels with local partners in these emerging markets, Chen said.

In its home market, the computer maker identified young professionals, gamers, college students and farmers as core customers for its products, the company said.

This is the latest effort by the company to get itself on track after it posted a net loss in the third quarter ending December 2008, its first loss in eight years.

Lenovo overhauled its business organization recently, dividing its regional operations into two business groups, with one catering to developed markets and the other, emerging markets.

In addition, the company has set up two product groups based on its "Think" and "Idea" branded products, which mainly serve corporate customers and consumers, respectively.

The reshuffle, Lenovo said, will help the company streamline its organization and will help it quickly seize growth opportunities and focus resources on its core business.

Global PC shipments are expected to fall by 4.5 percent, to 282 million units, this year, according to US research firm IDC.

Lenovo is confident that "it can stop its money-losing streak if the global economic downturn does not deteriorate further," Yang said yesterday.

(China Daily April 3, 2009)