Distributor news
Arrow ECS walks away from unprofitable reseller accounts
Posted: Fri, 19 Mar 2010Arrow ECS is walking away from some low margin, high credit risk business and altering service levels to plough more resources into a smaller number of resellers that commit to...Read More »
Selway Moore creditors likely to be out of pocket
Posted: Thu, 18 Mar 2010The prospects for trade creditors of defunct reseller Selway Moore to recover their money looks limited as the available assets for sale appear meagre. The Reading-based HP Gold partner went...Read More »
Arrow ECS to beef up security and networking line
Posted: Thu, 18 Mar 2010Arrow ECS is planning on beefing up its security portfolio and making overtures at networking and voice vendors after missing out on Cisco's UCS play. It is three years since...Read More »
Becrypt adds Security IP as distie to target enterprise space
Posted: Tue, 16 Mar 2010In a move designed to increase its presence in the enterprise market data encryption specialist Becrypt has added Security IP to its distributor roster.The market for encryption has expanded in...Read More »
Selway Moore calls in the administrator
Posted: Mon, 15 Mar 2010Selway Moore has become the first major reseller casualty of 2010 after cash flow issues left management with no option but to shut up shop. The Reading-based HP Gold partner...Read More »
Oracle lifts covers off plan to integrate software with Sun boxes
Posted: Thu, 11 Mar 2010Oracle has presented its vision for its $7.1 billion acquisition of Sun, which will see the company sell integrated hardware and software designed to lower IT operating costs and boost...Read More »
Opal hires ex-Avaya man to head up distribution
Posted: Thu, 11 Mar 2010TalkTalk's b-2-b communications arm Opal has appointed former Avaya SMB UK channel sales director Graham Bunting as distribution head to drive growth of its next generation network (NGN) offerings in...Read More »
IBM clamps down on grey marketing
Posted: Wed, 10 Mar 2010IBM has warned partners involved in grey market selling that controls it recently introduced will help it identify and prosecute them. The firm has harmonised pricing on accessories, which will now carry bar codes...Read More »
Industry veteran Dow sets up channel consultancy
Posted: Mon, 08 Mar 2010Former Westcoast director Andy Dow has set up a consultancy IT Channel Works to help vendors entering the UK or new markets within the territory establish a go-to-market model. The...Read More »
ComputerLinks adds virtualisation support to reseller services
Posted: Mon, 08 Mar 2010ComputerLinks is expanding the depth of support it offers resellers taking the wraps off a series of virtualisation services that are designed to plug the gaps in dealer's knowledge.Using a...Read More »
MicroScope ACEs shortlist announced
Posted: Fri, 05 Mar 2010The MicroScope Awards for Channel Excellence (ACEs) shortlist has gone live with a large number of companies managing to move one step closer to winning an award.The ACEs takes place...Read More »
Earthquake in Taiwan may cause LCD shortages
Posted: Fri, 05 Mar 2010Availability of large sized LCD panels could be constrained after an earthquake in Taiwan forced the suspension of production at a major business park. Not all facilities at the Tainan...Read More »
EMEA printer and MFP market not forecast to grow in 2010
Posted: Thu, 04 Mar 2010The predictions that 2009 was going to be a bad 12 months for printer and MFP shipments proved to be correct as sales across EMEA fell by almost a fifth....Read More »
Avaya leans on disties to speed Nortel integration
Posted: Thu, 04 Mar 2010Avaya is shoring up its distribution relationships in order to better integrate Nortel's enterprise reseller channel into its own, saying it won't be able to fulfil its aims without their...Read More »
Bell Microproducts Q4 sales and profits rebound
Posted: Wed, 03 Mar 2010The light at the end of the tunnel is shining more brightly for Bell Microproducts after it turned in a vastly improved set of Q4 financials. Things had looked a...Read More »
Viewsonic wants better ROI from channel marketing funds
Posted: Wed, 03 Mar 2010A 'try before you buy' promotion launched by Viewsonic could herald a dramatic shift in the way it dishes out marketing funds to resellers and distributors. The initiative which runs...Read More »
HP tells BladeSystem c-Class buyers to seek alternatives to Cisco blade switches
Posted: Wed, 03 Mar 2010Hewlett-Packard has advised resellers and customers with immediate project requirements to seek alternatives to its c-Class blade system based on Cisco switches as component shortages have brought supply to a...Read More »
Tech Data says market share gains helped boost Q4 numbers
Posted: Tue, 02 Mar 2010Tech Data reckons it captured or held market share across all product categories in Europe during its fiscal Q4 which helped it record sales and profits gains. After four consecutive...Read More »
Buying Solutions suppliers unveiled
Posted: Tue, 02 Mar 2010Buying Solutions has unveiled the suppliers that made it onto the forthcoming £6bn Commodity IT Hardware and Software framework agreement but high profile names including Dell, HP, Centerprise and XMA were...Read More »
Microsoft looks to C2000 to grow BPOS channel
Posted: Tue, 02 Mar 2010Microsoft has turned to Computer 2000 in its efforts to recruit resellers to push its Business Producivity Online Standard suite of hosted messaging tools.C2000 is being used Exchange Online, SharePoint...Read More »
UK channel leads recovery across Europe says Context
Posted: Tue, 02 Mar 2010The UK channel is leading the European IT market out of recession according to Context figures as rising product sales in January finally ended eleven consecutive months of declines. Business...Read More »
Global server market on the way back up
Posted: Thu, 25 Feb 2010The long awaited server refresh that emerged in the fourth quarter lifted the global market out of the gloom, with perkier x86 shipments more than offsetting weakness in demand for...Read More »
Westcoast confirms departure of director Dow
Posted: Thu, 25 Feb 2010Westcoast has confirmed it has split with long serving director Andy Dow by "mutual agreement". Dow, who rejoined the Theale-based distributor in February last year following his high profile move...Read More »
European printer market dips again reveals Context
Posted: Wed, 24 Feb 2010Far from moving into a recovery position the printer market across Europe actually shrank last month, according to data by analyst Context. The number of laser and inkjet devices sold by...Read More »
IT insolvency rate improves again
Posted: Fri, 19 Feb 2010By Billy MacInnesThe underlying health of UK businesses is improving according to credit specialist Experian with the rate of insolvencies in January 2010 the lowest since June 2007 and IT...Read More »
Channel fuels NetApp sales rise
Posted: Fri, 19 Feb 2010By Billy MacInnesA 16% growth in channel sales has helped contribute to record third quarter revenue and income for network storage and data management company, NetApp. The company also reported...Read More »
Ingram Micro Q4 sales and profits up
Posted: Thu, 18 Feb 2010Ingram Micro Q4 sales were lifted by a currency tailwind and dramatically improved IT spending in EMEA, which helped it break into year-on-year growth for the first time since the...Read More »
Northamber trims losses as H1 sales fall
Posted: Thu, 18 Feb 2010Northamber has managed to narrow first half pre-tax losses but sales fell as the "challenging" commercial environment continued to hit IT spending. In the fiscal six months ended 31 December,...Read More »
HP to invest in direct and channel sales as market improves
Posted: Thu, 18 Feb 2010Hewlett-Packard is hiring again and plans to beef up its direct sales team to target more enterprise customers. The good news - for some resellers at least - is that...Read More »
UK PC market steps out of recession
Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010The UK PC market has finally moved into growth following an annus horriblis, Gartner shipment numbers have revealed. Sales went up 3.3% in the fourth quarter to 3.8 million units...Read More »
Gateway UK on hunt for new boss
Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010Gateway is seeking a replacement for outgoing UK boss Philip Ashkar, who is leaving the Acer subsidiary but will remain within the group. The firm has had limited impact since...Read More »
LG terminates Northamber distribution contract
Posted: Fri, 12 Feb 2010LG has given Northamber its marching orders as part of a channel rationalisation exercise and is continuing to review its line-up. The Chessington-based distributor which seems to be making a...Read More »
Distie veteran Cary to join IBM volume channel team
Posted: Fri, 12 Feb 2010IBM has confirmed that distribution veteran Jared Cary is to beef up its channel team next month as volume sales leader. After 22 years at IBM partner Northamber, Cary left...Read More »
Gamma signs up to Wick Hill convergence plan
Posted: Thu, 11 Feb 2010Wick Hill has added Berkshire-based network operator Gamma Telecom to its line-up as part of an ongoing assault on the networked convergence sector.Surrey-based Wick Hill is best known as a...Read More »
Dell abandoning broadline distie strategy
Posted: Tue, 09 Feb 2010Dell appears to have abandoned the idea of luring broadline distributors with a pan-European contract in favour of appointing country specific nationals and specialists. In spring last year Dell ushered...Read More »
ACEs 2009: A night to remember
Posted: Tue, 09 Feb 2010A look back at 2009's AcesSome photos to remind you of a wonderful evening of winning, fun and entertainment. We look forward to seeing you at this year's event in...Read More »
Dell EqualLogic adds CMS Peripherals to UK channel
Posted: Mon, 08 Feb 2010Dell has finally spoken out about its appointment of CMS Peripherals and the plans to take its EqualLogic storage range to a wider community of resellers. Last week it emerged...Read More »
MicroScope top five, 1-5 February 2010
Posted: Fri, 05 Feb 20101 Phoenix IT Group to acquire KCOM network break fix arm2 HP Gold partner numbers dwindle3 Microsoft names C2000 and Bell Micro as first UK VADs4 dabs.com makes round of...Read More »
Magirus lands Cisco data centre distribution contract
Posted: Thu, 04 Feb 2010Magirus has been appointed by Cisco as its first data centre distributor in Europe after landing the contract after undergoing an extensive tender process.Under the terms of the relationship Magirus...Read More »
Arrow Electronics sales and profits up in Q4
Posted: Thu, 04 Feb 2010Large scale projects in the enterprise arena continue to face delays but momentum is building in the worldwide IT components market, according to Arrow Electronics. The distributor has posted...Read More »
Dell keeps shtum on CMS Peripherals appointment
Posted: Tue, 02 Feb 2010Dell is keeping mum on the appointment of CMS Peripherals except to brand talk of the partnership as "rumour and speculation". The London-based distributor must therefore be carrying a different...Read More »
Microscope Media Centre
Posted: Tue, 02 Feb 2010MicroScope.co.uk Media Information MicroScope is the longest established weekly newspaper for computer manufacturers, distributors and resellers who need to maintain a competitive edge in the channel. Hard-hitting opinionated editorial covers...Read More »
Lenovo to review server business unit
Posted: Mon, 01 Feb 2010Lenovo is reviewing its server business after admitting that the current volumes generated by the unit have not been high enough. Data by analyst IDC shows that 64,000 SME targeted...Read More »
Microsoft names C2000 and Bell Micro as first UK VADs
Posted: Mon, 01 Feb 2010Microsoft has ushered volume licensing distributors Bell Microproducts and Computer 2000 into a Value Added Distribution programme to drive the adoption of its virtualisation, security and unified communications software. As exclusively...Read More »
Northamber sales and marketing director Chatterton exits
Posted: Fri, 29 Jan 2010Northamber is on the hunt for a new sales and marketing director following the departure of previous incumbent Mark Chatterton after six months in the role. The former boss at...Read More »
Avnet fiscal Q2 sales boosted by economic uplift
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010A healthier global economy helped Avnet grow fiscal Q2 sales above the seasonal norm but favourable currency translations also lent a hand Revenues for the three months ended 2 January...Read More »
Graydon names Norton as head of intelligence
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010Graydon UK is about to welcome Alan Norton back on board as head of the IT intelligence unit. As revealed last month, the previous incumbent Mark Ancell left the credit...Read More »
Expansys boss Butterworth steps down despite upturn in sales
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010Expansys chief executive Roger Butterworth has today left the Manchester-based mobility e-tailer more than a decade after setting it up. The AIM-listed firm announced his exit along with interims for...Read More »
Analysis: Turnaround in networking fortunes?
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010Despite networking market declines last year, some technologies hold the promise of growth in 2010, writes GfK's Greg AllenThe past year has been particularly challenging for the networking market, with...Read More »
Analysis: Educators fear IT budget cuts
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2010Although the weather might have hit the numbers, more than 30,000 visitors were expected to walk the floors of London's Olympia at this year's BETT Show over its four-day span.One...Read More »
Azlan boss sets out convergence ambitions
Posted: Mon, 25 Jan 2010The new boss at Azlan has laid down the gauntlet to rivals by claiming it will develop into the first converged infrastructure distributor in the UK. As revealed by MicroScope,...Read More »
Distribution veteran French joins Computer 2000
Posted: Fri, 22 Jan 2010Azlan is to make Ian French its latest high profile UK appointment with the channel veteran joining the firm immediately as strategic development director. At the same time, Andy Sheppard who...Read More »
Bell Microproducts to get relisted on NASDAQ
Posted: Thu, 21 Jan 2010Bell Microproducts has confirmed that its stock is to be relisted on NASDAQ, nearly two years after it was suspended. The distributor unearthed accounting irregularities dating back to 1996 that...Read More »
Buffalo soldiers on with Ingram Micro
Posted: Wed, 20 Jan 2010Wireless networking, storage and memory vendor Buffalo Technology is extending a pre-existing distribution agreement with Ingram Micro in Germany across Europe. The firm said it hoped to use...Read More »
Business financial health improved last year
Posted: Tue, 19 Jan 2010Despite the long-running recession, the financial health of many UK businesses actually improved significantly during 2009, according to the latest Insolvency Tracker report from information services provider Experian. ...Read More »
2e2 boss dismisses talk of IPO
Posted: Tue, 19 Jan 20102e2 has dismissed reports that it plans to float on the London Stock Exchange’s alternative investment market (AIM). Yesterday the FT predicted that the services group along with a bunch of...Read More »
KPMG sees M&A upturn in 2010
Posted: Mon, 18 Jan 2010After a tough 12 months compounded by over-optimistic earnings expectations, accountancy firm KPMG has tentatively predicted a return to M&A growth this year. Unveiling its annual Global M&A...Read More »
Alcatel-Lucent signs second UK distie
Posted: Mon, 18 Jan 2010Alcatel-Lucent has inked a new distribution partnership with fledgling managed services and convergence distributor Incanix, through which it hopes to target resellers specialising in IP and applications in both Britain...Read More »
BETT attracts major IT players targeting education
Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2010The strength of the education sector to attract the big names in the IT world was on display at the BETT show with Microsoft, HP, Intel and Dell all rolling up...Read More »
Analysis: Remote working is business enabler
Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2010In February 2009, parts of the UK ground to a halt as the country experienced some of its heaviest snowfall since 1991. Many commentators seized the opportunity to talk...Read More »
Falling schools budgets to hit IT delivery in 2010
Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2010Schools in England and Wales are facing budget cuts for the first time since the late 1980s leading to concerns that the delivery of IT will be hit hard, according...Read More »
Quadnet CVA attempts confound suppliers
Posted: Thu, 14 Jan 2010Quadnet has sold its hardware business to Genisys Enterprises for a small sum but is considering a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). The London-based reseller has struggled to pay debts recently...Read More »
Second half looks rosy for Datatec
Posted: Thu, 14 Jan 2010Datatec, the South African IT stalwart and owner of Westcon and Logicalis, is anticipating a return to growth in the second half of its fiscal year, after publishing an...Read More »
EMEA PC sales grow in Q4 says Gartner
Posted: Thu, 14 Jan 2010Recovery in the EMEA PC arena has lagged the rest of the world but sales are finally on the up after Gartner recorded growth in the fourth quarter....Read More »
Bell Microproducts prelims point to recovery
Posted: Tue, 12 Jan 2010Bell Microproducts appears to have finally put the recent dark days of yesteryear behind it after posting preliminary fourth quarter stats that show sequential and annualised growth across nearly all...Read More »
Comstor rolls out ProCurve sales initiative
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2010Comstor has kicked off the new decade with the launch of a range of channel sales initiatives around the HP ProCurve networking brand. The Westcon-owned distributor has added...Read More »
IT jobs market continues to recover
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2010The recovery in the IT jobs market continues with the latest figures recording a fifth consecutive monthly improvement and a return to the sorts of levels of placements enjoyed in...Read More »
Channel caught in big freeze
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2010The channel is battling through the wintry weather conditions that have cloaked most of the country in snow. According to the Met Office, Surrey and Hampshire are the worst hit...Read More »
EMC readies mid market resellers for cloud services push
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2010EMC will ramp up the technical and sales courses for mid-market resellers this year to help them get to grips with selling cloud services. The US tech monster is developing...Read More »
Windows 7 breaks into business market quicker than Vista
Posted: Tue, 05 Jan 2010Windows 7 appears to have broken through in the business market with the sort of strength that many in the channel were hoping for back on its release...Read More »
Former Mac channel advocate launches stock clearance service
Posted: Tue, 05 Jan 2010Former Mac Technology Association (MTA) head Robert Peckham has launched a new venture, Tech2Clear, to shift excess, obsolete and out-dated stock held by resellers, distributors and vendors. Until...Read More »
Kelway acquires SAM Practice
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2009Kelway has made its third and smallest acquisition of the year after buying up Thatcham-based outfit SAM Practice. At the tail end of 2008, Kelway said this would be a...Read More »
EMC to sign up DNS Arrow in January
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2009DNS Arrow will become EMC’s third UK distributor from January as the manufacturer seeks to plough a furrow in the small to medium-sized reseller market. As revealed in recent weeks,...Read More »
UK PC sales fall as Europe recovers
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2009Sales of PCs across Europe in November reached the highest level this year according to analyst data but while the recovery in the economy gains pace on the continent, the UK continues...Read More »
In-depth: December in the channel
Posted: Wed, 16 Dec 2009As the industry began its annual wind-down for Christmas there was no shortage of goings on in the channel, with big names such as DSGi, Microsoft and HP all...Read More »
Networking, storage and software companies top best places to work
Posted: Wed, 16 Dec 2009Those brushing up their CVs looking for a job in the new year might well consider targeting Juniper Networks after the vendor came out top of a poll of the...Read More »
Arrow ECS brand takes centre stage in Europe next year
Posted: Mon, 14 Dec 2009The DNS brand will be replaced by Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions in the UK and across the rest of Europe next year. Through the acquisitions made in the region in recent...Read More »
Government CIO warns channel about cloud complacency
Posted: Fri, 11 Dec 2009Systems integrators will have to face up to cloud computing and recalibrate their business models as the days of large scale roll outs paid up front are numbered the Government...Read More »
HP channel boss Poskett set to leave in the New Year
Posted: Fri, 11 Dec 2009Hewlett-Packard has confirmed to staff that long serving channel director Dave Poskett is to leave the organisation early next year. This ends months of furious speculation among the distributor and reseller...Read More »
McAfee UK channel boss outlines plans to extend reseller capabilities
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2009McAfee is looking to expand and fine-tune its reseller base in order to move its core base beyond just anti-virus products.Spearheading the overhaul of the partner base is UK and...Read More »
Symantec reduces distie numbers
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2009One of Symantec’s distribution partners will have ended its relationship with the vendor before the end of the year as it works through the last fortnight of its notice period.Although...Read More »
C2000 names Ancell as credit boss
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2009Computer 2000 has concluded its search for a new credit boss to replace Nick Tiltman - who left the company last month - with Graydon UK head of...Read More »
Analysis: Combating counterfeit consumables
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2009The world is full of counterfeit products. Walk through any street market and you will find stalls full of “designer” clothes, watches and handbags at unbelievable prices. The prices are...Read More »
Ingram Micro UK profits halved in 2008
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2009Ingram Micro UK profits halved in the last full financial year as turnover fell by low double digits. In the twelve months to 31 December 2008, the broadline giant made...Read More »
Seagate gives Tech Data the heave ho
Posted: Thu, 03 Dec 2009Tech Data has become the latest distributor to be given its marching orders by Seagate Technology in a rationalisation exercise that has the number of EMEA partners almost halved in...Read More »
Windows 7 gives PC market a boost
Posted: Wed, 02 Dec 2009The release of Windows 7 appears to be working some magic in terms of PC sales, with both manufacturers and analysts reporting increased demand and sales as the crucial Christmas...Read More »
Server market stabilising despite continued declines
Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2009Gartner’s latest report on the worldwide server market has indicated that the sector is beginning to show signs of stabilisation despite continuing to book year-on-year declines in both shipments...Read More »
Ingram finalises CCD acquisition
Posted: Mon, 30 Nov 2009Ingram Micro has taken the first step to build an enterprise infrastructure business by completing the acquisition of CCD. Around 40 staff at Computacenter’s former distribution arm along with general...Read More »
Azlan grabs Cisco Unified Computing Solutions portfolio
Posted: Thu, 26 Nov 2009Azlan has taken on Cisco’s entire Unified Computing Solutions portfolio to build out its mid-market infrastructure push. Only this week the networking division of Computer 2000 poached Avnet Technology Solutions’...Read More »
Reseller demand for Dell PCs ''not strong'' says Tech Data CEO
Posted: Thu, 26 Nov 2009Tech Data’s CEO has admitted that demand for Dell PCs from its reseller customers in North America has not been strong, albeit in a depressed market. In a channel first...Read More »
HP Hunter handed channel reins for PSG
Posted: Wed, 25 Nov 2009Hewlett-Packard has named Paul Hunter as the channel director for its Personal Systems Group, replacing Dave Poskett in a role he held on an interim basis. The US tech monster...Read More »
Tech Data cautious on spending outlook
Posted: Tue, 24 Nov 2009IT spending continues to improve according to Tech Data but it is not yet confident that the recession is over. The broadline giant has filed third quarter sales...Read More »
Azlan grabs Walker for server and storage team
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2009Azlan has staged a dawn raid to bolster its server and storage team with Mark Walker due to join the distributor from next year to manage the unit along...Read More »
IT sector shows improvement as financial strength returns
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2009The financial state of the IT sector continued to improve with a drop in insolvencies last month accompanied by signs that financial strength to ride out the remaining months of...Read More »
Computerlinks adds Web 2.0 protection
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2009Security distributor Computerlinks has added dynamic content protection vendor Optenet to its line-up. Optenet specialises in cloud-based web-filtering, anti-spam, anti-virus, email and web security solutions sold as a...Read More »
Meru picks Westcon for UK distie contract
Posted: Fri, 20 Nov 2009Wireless LAN hotshot Meru Networks has jumped into bed with Westcon to provide value-added distribution services in the UK. Meru, which works with Westcon in other theatres and...Read More »
Ingram Micro unveils SAM strategy
Posted: Thu, 19 Nov 2009Ingram Micro has taken the covers off a Software Asset Management (SAM) strategy backed by Microsoft designed to place resellers in the position to certify user software licenses....Read More »
Digital Economy Bill outlined in Queen's speech
Posted: Wed, 18 Nov 2009The government has announced a Digital Economy Bill in the Queen’s speech, as it steps up its war against illegal file sharers. The bill, which will support the Digital Britain report,...Read More »
WatchGuard appoints Sphinx as it moves into web protection software
Posted: Wed, 18 Nov 2009Unified threat management (UTM) specialist WatchGuard has added Sphinx to its distribution roster as it integrates the acquired Borderware products and channels into its portfolio.Sphinx, which was a Borderware distributor,...Read More »
Check Point hands ACE to ComputerLinks
Posted: Fri, 13 Nov 2009In a move that should help crack down on grey services ComputerLinks has become the first UK distributor to gain the Check Point appliance service accreditation.The Newmarket-based security specialist has...Read More »