Rod Hughes

Intel Costa Rica, the electronics firm that is one of the country’s largest exporters, yesterday announced it was launching five new processors to boost sagging sales this year. The company, Costa Rica’s principal exporter of integrated circuits, earlier revealed that sales had dropped 5.6% during the first half of this year.

Produced at the company’s Heredia plant, the new products are three new server processors and two new ones for PCs. Karla Blanco, head of Intel’s Corporate Affairs department, revealed that sales slumped from somewhat over a billion dollars in the first half of 2007 to $947 million the first half of this year. She attributed the decline to "normal behavior in the market."

She noted that the setback reflects the world economic situation but predicted an upturn in demand during the next few months, coinciding with the launching or the new products. "We have solid products based on close relations with our customers who tell us what they want," she added. "Many of our customers (Hewlett Packard and Dell, for example) are in China. If there’s a decline in demand from there, it lowers exports from here.

” Commentary: In an uncertain world business climate, it is natural that companies may postpone updating their equipment. But, contrasted with this, customers of business computers know they cannot ignore the need to upgrade lest they fall behind their competition. The electronics field is still moving at breakneck speed, as Intel Costa Rica’s new products exemplify.”