ChatWork, the startup behind the increasingly popular cloud collaboration solution of the same name, is making its official entry into the U.S. market with the introduction of video chat and screenshare capabilities. The enhancements are available for download as a single, light-weight browser plugin. The Japanese firm promises to roll out a fully integrated version of the service (one that doesn’t require a local install) sometime later this quarter.

ChatWork’s decision to expand to the U.S. is a response to positive reception abroad. The company is adding around 15,000 new users per month, a growth rate that – if sustained- will enable it to hit the one million user mark by the end of 2013. This goal could be reached sooner than expected if the solution manages to gain traction among American firms.

The secret behind ChatWork’s international success is the enterprise capabilities built into its service. The platform delivers native archiving and search and task management functionality that is not available with consumer-grade instant messaging software. The service is economical as well: a single subscription will only set you back $2 per user per month. Fee users can have up to 100 contacts and hold a teleconference with up to 13 of their colleagues if one or more paying users are included in their group.

“ChatWork is a more simple, efficient way for teams to work together than email alone,” said Toshiyuki Yamamoto the CEO of ChatWork. “With our searchable chat conversations, task management, file sharing, and now – video chats and screensharing – our simple platform is a clever way to increase team productivity and decrease information overload.”

ChatWork’s main competitor is Skype, which is also becoming more business-friendly. Last month Microsoft rolled out a new feature that enables Outlook users to take Skype calls from within their inboxes.