Alsco
is proud of the role it plays in the currency changeover which will
take place in the 12 countries of the EU on January 01, 2002.
For the past 5 years, we have been working relentlessly with our
R&D team, software developers, IC makers, factory engineers
to develop a complete range of Euro converters under our own brand
name: EUROKA.
We cannot really classify the EUROKA converters
as traditional business gifts as they target a much wider market.
Some have indeed been used to promote goodwill, but others have
been given away as part of large-scale promotions and specific models
have even been designed for the retail market. The bottom line is:
thanks to our thorough understanding of the European market and
the consumers's minds, we have experienced a unique success with
EUROKA. The volume and turnover generated
by this project stand as a testimony of our accomplishment: over
50 million pieces of Euro converters sold during the past 6 years
for a sales turnover of US$45million.
The reasons for such a tremendous success can be explained as follows:
1.
From
the start, Alsco had a first-mover advantage over its competition.
We started designing the first converters for Europe as far
back as 1996 just as the European Union was issuing the rules
governing the conversion and rounding up of the Euro. Our
decision to start immediately was based on our marketing knowledge
of Europe and basically, our common sense. But remember that
what seems obvious today was not necessarily so 6 years ago.
2.
All
the EUROKA converters were designed to be user-friendly.
Alsco has played an important role in the development of the
now popular dual-line LCD screen
which allows users to see the result of their conversion simultaneously.
The EUROKA technology was successfully used to produce large
orders for nation-wide promotions. A good example of this
are the 2 million pieces of the card size converter made for
Leclerc, one of the largest retailers in France and Europe.
Alsco
have also been at the forefront of a new feature which we call the
'X' CHANGE function.Again, the starting point of this invention
is not the chip but our marketing expertise. Just picture the situation
in Europe on January 01, 2002: the Euro becomes legal tender in
the 12 member countries on Euro Day. Purchases are calculated in
Euro, but consumers are still allowed to pay in their home currency.
However, they receive all their change in Euro. The user-friendly
'X' CHANGE function is the answer to the challenge: you only need
to press the CHANGE button and the converter automatically calculates
the change in Euro the retailer should give you. Not even an "
= " sign, no calculation, just simple buttons for the quickest
of operations. Our new 'I Model' incorporates all these practical
features which is probably why it has been selected by the French
Government.
For the
retail market, model MCC007 is most appropriate. Its specialty is
the two double display screen which lets the vendor and the buyer
see the Euro equivalent at the same time. There is nearly no limit
to Alsco's creativity.
For the professionals and the business executives a top quality
double display calculator/convertor with printer was created. With
the fast and precise dual colour printer head supplied by Epson,
this model IMP008 had been regarded as the most efficient Euro Calculator
and Convertor ever designed and marketed.
3.
Thanks
to our strong connections with material suppliers, IC makers
and software developers, we have been able to price the EUROKA
converters at levels the competition cannot reach. All of
our models are extremely competitive in price to meet our
customers's budget.
4.
We
have pushed the concept of Euro conversion by giving the market
the largest choice of designs and functions to suit various
needs. Kids even have their EUROKA model combining currency
conversion and electronic games under the label 'Children
of the Euro'
