Two of Fujifilms five sales staff in electronics have left for close rival CreoScitex as the pre-press salesforce merry-go-round continues.

Fujifilm Graphic Systems divisional director Gordon McFarlane said: They think they can make more money with their [CreoScitexs] larger customer database.

It is believed that the two are Nick Frost and Adrian Rowe, but McFarlane said it would not be appropriate to reveal names. Rowe had only recently joined Fuji from Heidelberg.

The market is quite soft at the moment, and the sales team are finding it difficult to make the kind of money they are used to making, he added.

I feel they are taking a very short-term view, as we believe the long-term future is better with Fuji given our long-term strategy and share value.

CreoScitex UK marketing manager Maria Machera also refused to disclose the names of the salesmen concerned.

McFarlane declined to comment on rumours that Fujis electronics national sales manager, David Morton had resigned, effectively leaving the firm with just one electronic sales manager in the UK.

But he said Fuji was well on the way to replacing the two staff that had resigned, with one position already filled and another set to be finalised soon. These changes are not causing us any major disruption at the moment, said McFarlane.

This follows last months moves of CreoScitex salesmen Colin Price and Martin Mayo, who joined Turning Point Technologies (PrintWeek, 10 August).

Fujifilm Graphic Systems UK sales team is headed up by David Wilson, who joined the company earlier this year from Kodak Polychrome Graphics (PrintWeek, 30 March).

Story by Andy Scott