Pentax, one of the most famous brands in photography, needs to join forces with another company for its long term survival, the head of the firm’s parent company has revealed.
The comments, published in a Reuters article, were made by Hiroshi Suzuki, chief executive of Hoya, the Japanese glass maker that merged with Pentax two years ago.
‘Our digital camera business is not exactly a big operation,’ Suzuki told Reuters. There are naturally questions among us whether it is big enough to go it alone?. I’m afraid it will need some sort of alliance with another company in the long term.’
In response, a Pentax spokesman today told Amateur Photographer: ‘The remark concerning the alliance with another company, as suggested by Hoya’s CEO, was made in reference to one of many, possible long term business strategies.
‘The statement does not refer to any specific ongoing activity. However, Hoya will continue to consider opportunities to best develop its individual business units.’
Pentax already has a partnership with Samsung for the development of digital SLR cameras. But it is not clear from the Reuters interview whether this tie-up will continue.
Earlier this month Stephen Sanderson, product coordinator at Pentax UK’s Imaging Systems Division told us that the relationship with Samsung is ongoing.
In the Reuters article, published yesterday, Suzuki said Hoya aims to make its Pentax operations profitable by March 2010.
