By Patrick Avenell

Lexar Media has today announced the appointment of Australian Photo Suppliers (APS) as the new distributor of Kodak-branded memory products nationwide.

Under the agreement, APS will distribute Lexar Media’s entire range of Kodak-branded flash memory products. Retailers will now be able to purchase Kodak USB drives, Kodak memory cards and Kodak mobile memory cards directly through APS.

Specifically, APS will be distributing the following products:

•           Kodak SD Memory Cards and High Performance Memory Cards
•           Kodak SDHC Memory Cards & High Performance Memory Cards
•           Kodak Mobile Memory Cards
•           Kodak USB Flash Drive

Talking about this appointment is Lexar Media national sales manager, ANZ, Richard Clarke.

“In the past 12 months the digital photography market has experienced rapid growth with Australians averaging 1.29 digital cameras per household,” said Clarke. “The fast adoption of both digital cameras and multifunctional devices has in turn led to the need for reliable, first-rate flash-memory products.

“This partnership will allow Lexar Media to increase its reach into the consumer photographic sector through Australian Photo Supplies’ established network of retailers for Kodak products.”

And reach the consumers these products should. Digital memory options are quickly becoming a key source of revenue for retailers, with the cameras themselves set to become a virtual loss leader as margins erode. With more people buying digital photo frames and the proliferation of TV panels supporting digital photography formats, the memory business is set to become even more essential to retailers.

Australian Photo Supplies director Robert Dessman talked about this.

“As consumers become more interested in high-quality photographic performance from their equipment, the performance of complementary digital memory products is more important than ever,” he said. “Lexar Media offers an expansive line-up of reliable Kodak-branded flash memory products that enhances Australian Photo Supplies product offering to its valued retailers.”