At its annual Global Press Conference (GPC) Next@Acer 2022, the Taiwan-based firm showcased its latest lineup of gaming laptops, ultrabooks, and accessories.
Among the key highlights at Next@Acer 2022 is the introduction of an array of new eco-minded Vero devices. The expansion of the Vero product line, according to the company, is in line with its commitment to enable a more sustainable future by offering consumers and businesses more options to reduce their ecological footprint.
ITP.net caught up with Jerry Kao, Co-Chief Operating Officer at Acer to know more about the company’s sustainability efforts in 2022 and beyond.
What were the key drivers behind the success of Acer’s Vero product line?
Acer launched the Earthion programme several years ago with the view that ensuring environmental protection is the most important job for us as a company. This is a belief that’s shared by everyone within the organisation from our CEO down to all our employees. This notion is reflected in our Vero product line, which has grown significantly since its launch last year.
What we have seen over the past year is that consumers are now looking for eco-friendly devices. In the past, the demand for sustainable devices typically come from enterprises and government organisations. Today, we are seeing that such devices also strongly appeal to everyday consumers. So, we have definitely seen stronger and bigger demand for our Vero products since its introduction to the market.
A key highlight of the Vero devices is that they have been co-engineered with Intel. Can you share some insights into that partnership?
We have a collaborative partnership with Intel, which allows us to bring our accumulated experiences together to create thoughtful and powerful devices. Intel has been instrumental in helping us develop innovative ideas for our product lines including Chromebook, TravelMate and Vero.
In addition, Intel also provides the necessary technical, marketing and even internal support we need for our products.
As for our Vero portfolio, Intel specifically expressed an interest in working with us on these devices. As a semiconductor company, Intel’s operations involve massive energy consumption. And over the years, the company has pledged to reduce its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions and shift their focus toward more sustainable technology solutions. So, their experience and support in these kinds of innovations allow us to incorporate more sustainable processes within our ecosystem.
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How important is it for Acer’s strategy to be able to provide customers with products that support each aspect of their lifestyle?
Acer’s evolution into a lifestyle brand is an important aspect of our CEO’s ambition for the company.
We have a wide range of offerings for different lifestyles whether that be for professionals, creatives and gamers. Today, having a green attitude is also considered a lifestyle and this is what we are catering to with our Vero product line. So, as part of our strategy, we believe that offering the devices that fit our consumers’ lifestyles is just step one. We want to make sure that our customers could truly ‘live’ a green life with us. That’s why it is important for us to back this strategy through our retail and marketing activities as well as through our partnerships with NGOs and other parties.
It is undeniable that smartphones are a big part of consumers’ lifestyles today. Being a lifestyle brand, will Acer’s future involve smartphones again?
We want to cover all facets of our customers’ lifestyles. And you’re right, smartphones play a big role in the day-to-day lives of consumers today. However, as a company, we want to make sure that we address a real market need rather than simply introducing a product just for the sake of it.
For example, if you look at gaming. We offer a wide array of products for our gaming customers from PCs, apparel, accessories and even social platforms. However, we don’t have smartphones. This is because, if you look at casual mobile gamers, they typically use smartphones that are already out in the market. Subsequently, when you look at competitive gamers, many of them prefer to use PCs with big screens. So, while we do recognise that this is an area that we can explore, we also need to ask ourselves if we can deliver a smartphone that’s different from what’s already on the market today. And the answer at the moment is no. Therefore, we want to focus our efforts and investments on what we are good at, which is developing devices that contribute to the protection of the Earth.
How does Acer aim to continue to “take sustainability to the next level”?
We will continue to accelerate our efforts to develop more products using post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials.
In addition, Acer will further extend our sustainability strategies to enhance our non-PC offerings. For example, not many people know that Acer has its own hotel. Aspire Park, which is located in Taiwan, is designed with sustainability in mind. The hotel utilises solar panels, recycled materials and other energy-saving measures. We have also developed a Smart Parking solution, which can help lessen the time spent looking for a parking space and reduce the use of paper.
So, our efforts towards sustainability are not only focused on our products. We are also taking it to the next level by developing initiatives and services that are green at their core.
