Distributor news
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 3 September 2010
Posted: Fri, 03 Sep 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days. Apple reignites race for the digital living room Apple is aiming to get its brand firmly entrenched in...Read More »
HP extends use of iQuote tool to StorageWorks
Posted: Thu, 02 Sep 2010Hewlett-Packard is trying to simplify partner engagement by rolling out a stock availability, pricing and configuration tool through commercial storage distributors. The iQuote system developed by channelcentral has been used...Read More »
IT jobs market still in doldrums
Posted: Thu, 02 Sep 2010The IT jobs market remains stuck in the doldrums, according to annual figures from recruitment specialists at Hays, with the dip in public sector sales unlikely to help matters. A...Read More »
Sage signs up Westcoast
Posted: Thu, 02 Sep 2010Westcoast has been signed up by Sage as its fourth UK distributor selling the software vendor's products from next Monday. The distributor is being given the chance to sell boxed...Read More »
Wick Hill expands line-up with Panasonic appointment
Posted: Wed, 01 Sep 2010Wick Hill continues to expand its portfolio in the voice and data convergence distribution space with the appointment of Panasonic.The distributor has been targeting the voice and data world for...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, August 2010
Posted: Tue, 31 Aug 2010A look back at the top 10 most read stories on MicroScope.co.uk for the month of August: Phoenix accounts put on notice On August 13, infrastructure and managed services provider...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 27 August 2010
Posted: Fri, 27 Aug 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days. Market cannot support current reseller population The ravages of the recession mean that the UK market can't support the...Read More »
Industry fears mount over ICT GCSE slump
Posted: Tue, 24 Aug 2010Following last week's A-level results, this morning's GCSE results confirmed industry fears that the UK is not producing the new IT talent needed in the channel, writes Jenny Williams. Industry...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 20 August 2010
Posted: Fri, 20 Aug 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days. Phoenix accounts put on notice Phoenix IT received notice from two key customers with accounts worth a total of £12.5m that they had...Read More »
Tech Data posts sales and profits rises in Q2
Posted: Thu, 19 Aug 2010Tech Data managed to push up sales and profits in Q2 despite sailing into a foreign currency headwind, which was compounded by continued economic challenges on both sides of the...Read More »
Microsoft reviews distribution partners
Posted: Wed, 18 Aug 2010Microsoft has embarked on a business review with eight UK distribution partners and while rationalisation is not at the top the agenda, the software giant refused to rule out cuts....Read More »
Computerlinks puts final touches to virtualisation stack
Posted: Mon, 16 Aug 2010Computerlinks has added two new vendors to its virtualisation line-up in the shape of data and application availability management vendor SteelEye and virtualised WAN optimisation software developer NetEx. As part of...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 13 August 2010
Posted: Fri, 13 Aug 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days: HP boss quits after sexual harassment probe Late last week Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd fell on his sword after...Read More »
Strengthening refresh cycle tempers Avnet revenues
Posted: Thu, 12 Aug 2010Avnet chairman and CEO Roy Vallee has spoken optimistically of recovery in the technology markets and hailed the strengthening IT refresh cycle as the broadline IT and electronic components distributor...Read More »
Weak governance undermines IT savings
Posted: Wed, 11 Aug 2010by Rebecca Thomson Weak IT governance and a lack of tangible benefits from projects is leading to under-investment in IT, according to public sector IT managers group Socitm. In 2009,...Read More »
Acer, ETC to scale back volume PC sales business
Posted: Tue, 10 Aug 2010Acer and ETC are shifting the nature of their distribution relationship away from volume deals to one that focuses on building "solutions" for B2B resellers. The tweak to this agreement...Read More »
Bell Micro brand to be history by October
Posted: Tue, 10 Aug 2010Avnet Technology Solutions has put a timetable in place to axe the Bell brand and have all front office staff in place by the end of next month. The close...Read More »
Gartner downgrades enterprise spending forecast
Posted: Tue, 10 Aug 2010Gartner has downgraded its enterprise IT spending forecast for 2010 as the fragile global economy hangs in the balance and urged the industry to put contingency plans in place to counter a slowdown...Read More »
Azlan Avaya push to be lead by ex-Opal man
Posted: Mon, 09 Aug 2010Azlan has revealed itself as the latest distributor to take on Avaya's full line-up in the UK, and is adding former Opal distribution head and Avaya SMB boss Graham Bunting as...Read More »
IT workers want proft sharing schemes
Posted: Mon, 09 Aug 2010Over 50% of British IT workers believe their productivity would be enhanced if they were given the option to share in profits or take ownership stakes in their company's. An...Read More »
Growth stalled: Q2 netbook sales fall to the same level as a year ago
Posted: Fri, 06 Aug 2010By Billy MacInnes Second quarter UK netbook sales through distribution returned to the same level as last year suggesting the market has reached maturity after peaking in the last quarter...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 6 August 2010
Posted: Fri, 06 Aug 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days: Calyx considering options to cut unsustainable debts Systems integrator Calyx appointed corporate finance advisors to explore potential means...Read More »
Bank lending to SMEs down by half
Posted: Thu, 05 Aug 2010The amount banks lend to small businesses has halved since the recession took hold in the UK, official figures have revealed. Recovery in the banking sector in well under way...Read More »
Big surge in technology M&A deals in the UK
Posted: Thu, 05 Aug 2010By Billy MacInnes Corporate merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the UK technology sector rose by a third in the second quarter of 2010, making it the most acquisitive technology...Read More »
Avaya retains Avnet relationship
Posted: Wed, 04 Aug 2010Nortel distie Avnet Technology Solutions (ATS) has been retained by Avaya to distribute its UC and contact centre line-up in addition to the Nortel enterprise portfolio. Avnet already distributed parts of the...Read More »
Westcon promotes new Europe SVP
Posted: Tue, 03 Aug 2010Network, convergence and security distie Westcon has promoted David Grant (pictured) the former CEO of telco distributor Crane to fill the role of senior vice president of Europe. Westcon acquired Crane...Read More »
In-depth: Security community dissects impact of Becta closure
Posted: Tue, 03 Aug 2010With the closure of Becta announced by the government just weeks after the coalition took office, fears of the impact on schools' IT security have been rising, writes Amro Gebreel....Read More »
Nimans ups Avaya support levels
Posted: Tue, 03 Aug 2010Network and comms distributor Nimans has upped its support levels on the Avaya line after adding to its face-to-face support team that it claims will be able to offer nationwide...Read More »
C2000 unveils end-user finance scheme for partners
Posted: Mon, 02 Aug 2010By Billy MacInnes Computer 2000 has become the first UK distributor to launch an end user financing scheme which it claims will give resellers a significant advantage over competitors. The...Read More »
Oracle distributors still blind to vendor's intentions
Posted: Mon, 02 Aug 2010Prospective and existing Oracle distributors across the world are still waiting anxiously to hear the results of a tender process that were due at the end of last week. With...Read More »
Public sector cuts fail to rattle overall IT jobs market
Posted: Mon, 02 Aug 2010by Billy MacInnes The rate of increase in advertising for the overall IT jobs market in the second quarter was the fastest for three years, despite a 21% decline in...Read More »
Euler ups credit insurance by €40bn, predicts fall in insolvencies
Posted: Fri, 30 Jul 2010Credit insurer Euler Hermes has brushed aside continued fears of a double dip recession to forecast a drop in corporate insolvencies for this year and next. The largest indemnifier on the...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 30 July 2010
Posted: Fri, 30 Jul 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days IBM names new mid-market distributors It emerged last week that IBM planned to expand the remit of some...Read More »
Ingram Micro "back in the game" after record Q2
Posted: Fri, 30 Jul 2010Ingram Micro is "back in the game" according to its CEO after hitting the highest Q2 profits in its history helped along by an IT industry refresh, taking market share...Read More »
Oracle to name distributors, spell out rebate changes
Posted: Thu, 29 Jul 2010Oracle will tomorrow inform value added distributors if they feature in its future plans following an intensive four week request for information, a move that will signal a significant shift...Read More »
Industry urges government to clarify IT reform agenda
Posted: Thu, 29 Jul 2010The industry has broadly backed the Cabinet Office Structural Reform Plan but feels greater clarity of some seemingly contradictory policies is needed, according to TechMarketView (TMV). The government report last...Read More »
Arrow Electronics Q2 numbers surpass pre-recession highs
Posted: Wed, 28 Jul 2010Arrow Components has surpassed pre-recession revenues and profits in a bumper second quarter during which both divisions returned to double digit growth. Sales for the period ended 3 July were...Read More »
IBM breaks silence over distie strategy
Posted: Wed, 28 Jul 2010IBM has confirmed it is tweaking its UK distribution line-up to increase the number of partners carrying the Unix and storage range. As reported earlier this week, Big Blue will give...Read More »
McAfee cans Arc Technology as it concludes distribution review
Posted: Wed, 28 Jul 2010The security vendor has concluded its seven month review of its distribution partners deciding to go down from four to three on its roster.Arc Technology has missed out on the...Read More »
Banks urged to increase lending to SMEs
Posted: Tue, 27 Jul 2010The government is stepping up pressure on the banking community to increase lending to cash strapped SMEs. A white paper unveiled yesterday, Financing A Private Sector Recovery, explored a number...Read More »
Azlan handed Tandberg video contract
Posted: Tue, 27 Jul 2010Computer 2000's enterprise and networking division Azlan is to take on the Tandberg telepresence, conferencing and mobile video portfolio after being appointed as a UK Channel Development Partner by the firm,...Read More »
IBM names new mid-market distributors
Posted: Mon, 26 Jul 2010IBM is looking to poach disaffected mid-market infrastructure resellers from rivals including Sun Microsystems and will expand the remit of several value distributors to seek them out. From October, Specialist...Read More »
Westcon ups profitability with credit arrangement
Posted: Fri, 23 Jul 2010Networking distributor Westcon has replaced its European vendor-based inventory financing facility with a $200m agreement with HSBC Invoice Finance. The distributor said that the new four-year invoice financing facility will consolidate...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 23 July 2010
Posted: Fri, 23 Jul 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days; Disties demand probe into stock sale at collapsed broker Creditors of defunct Slough-based broker Micro IT Component have...Read More »
Comstor inks distie pact with network design firm
Posted: Thu, 22 Jul 2010Network design and proposal generation platform developer Netformx is to bolster its European presence and Cisco relationship after signing Comstor to distribute its DesignXpert CCE, Silver and Gold Cisco editions....Read More »
Disties demand investigation into stock sale at collapsed broker
Posted: Wed, 21 Jul 2010Creditors of defunct broker Micro IT Component (MITC) are unlikely to see a return after liquidator Wilson Field confirmed that it will not be able to recoup one penny of...Read More »
UK reseller insolvencies defy gloomy predictions
Posted: Tue, 20 Jul 2010Reseller and distributor insolvencies fell by double digits during the second quarter proving wrong the soothsayers that had predicted a bloodbath. Figures by Graydon UK show that a total of...Read More »
Distribution numbers involved in IT transactions drop
Posted: Tue, 20 Jul 2010The number of distributors being used as part of the IT supply chain is in decline as resellers look to consolidate the suppliers they work with.According to a survey of...Read More »
Welch rocks up at Azlan to lead product marketing
Posted: Mon, 19 Jul 2010Azlan has tempted Simon Welch out of a brief retirement with the offer of becoming its product marketing director. The appointment of the enterprise distribution veteran is likely to raise...Read More »
MicroScope's top stories, week ending 16 July 2010
Posted: Fri, 16 Jul 2010The most visited channel stories on MicroScope.co.uk from the last seven days; Government ends £80m Microsoft licensing deal with NHS The coalition government scrapped the nine-year Connecting for Health enterprising...Read More »
Public sector cuts being felt in security market
Posted: Wed, 14 Jul 2010The impact of cuts in the public sector is having an impact beyond just education and government channel specialists.As the government looks to reduce the public deficit £6bn worth of...Read More »
Avnet president vows to maintain reseller credit lines
Posted: Fri, 09 Jul 2010The European president at Avnet Technology Solutions has vowed to maintain the credit limits that it and new acquisition Bell Microproducts offered individually to resellers. Avnet's $631m acquisition of Bell...Read More »
Watt and Toal take top European roles in post merger Avnet
Posted: Wed, 07 Jul 2010Avnet Technology Solutions has handed the top jobs in Europe and the UK to Bell Microproducts senior staffers Graeme Watt and John Toal after completing the acquisition. The deal, valued at $631m including...Read More »
UK distributors warned to be on guard against Euro fraudsters
Posted: Tue, 06 Jul 2010European distributors are warning their UK counterparts to be on the look out for fraudsters that have swept the continent targeting channel players.The technique, which has already been used in...Read More »
Microsoft distie rebate cuts force price hikes
Posted: Mon, 05 Jul 2010Microsoft has today removed the retrospective fee it pays to distributors serving tier one reseller accounts and will instead pay them to develop smaller unmanaged dealers. The changes, which have...Read More »
D-Link appoints Bell Micro to support business growth
Posted: Mon, 05 Jul 2010Networking vendor D-Link has extended its relationship, already established in the US, with distribution partner Bell Micro appointing it in the UK to support its market growth ambitions.Bell has been...Read More »
EC approves Avnet acquisition of Bell Microproducts
Posted: Mon, 05 Jul 2010The European Commission has approved Avnet's proposed $594m (£392m) takeover of Bell Microproducts after deciding it will not stifle competition in the distribution channel. This was the final hurdle to...Read More »
US channel hits pre-recession high, Europe close behind
Posted: Wed, 30 Jun 2010Sales through the major US distributors have surpassed pre-recession levels and Europe is gradually heading in the right direction, according to figures from the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC). The...Read More »
UK channel recovery driven by notebooks says Context
Posted: Tue, 29 Jun 2010Recovery in the UK PC and low-end server markets fell sequentially in May but was up on last year as shipments and revenues generated through distribution saw double digit growth....Read More »
Bell Microproducts shareholders approve Avnet acquisition
Posted: Tue, 29 Jun 2010Bell Microproducts shareholders last night voted overwhelmingly in favour of the proposed acquisition by Avnet Corporation. The offer of $7 per share, which valued the distributor at $594m (£396.6m), was...Read More »
Daisy reveals financial losses, buys MurphX IS
Posted: Tue, 22 Jun 2010The multi-million pound losses Daisy Group chalked up in preliminary results released today has clearly not dampened its appetite to expand, as it shelled out £4.8m to acquire MurphX Innovative...Read More »
Sphinx Group brand to disappear says Arrow ECS
Posted: Tue, 22 Jun 2010The European president at Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions (ECS) has confirmed that the Sphinx Group brand will disappear in the summer as the acquired business forms the backbone of its networking and...Read More »
Arrow ECS acquires Sphinx Group
Posted: Mon, 21 Jun 2010Another UK national has lost its independence after it emerged today that Arrow Electronics has swallowed up Sphinx Group. Only months ago, Arrow told MicroScope it was eyeing up targets...Read More »
UK channel outshines European rivals
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2010The UK channel outshone many of its European counterparts in April in spite of the disruptive volcanic ash cloud and the looming prospect of the General Election. Figures from the...Read More »
HMRC gets aggressive over small biz debt collection
Posted: Thu, 17 Jun 2010The financial pressure on cash strapped SMEs is set to intensify with HMRC adopting a more aggressive policy on debt collection and the Government potentially ending the 'Time to Pay'...Read More »
Oracle system overhaul causes Sun box pricing calamity
Posted: Thu, 17 Jun 2010Oracle's decision to go live with an untested system that calculates Sun hardware freight charges has been criticised by resellers who have complained about discrepencies in shipping costs. With just...Read More »
Ingram Micro COO resigns
Posted: Wed, 16 Jun 2010Ingram Micro president and chief operating officer Alain Monie is to stand down in August to take hold of the reins at a multi-national corporate based in Asia. Monie joined...Read More »
Carter returns to Nimans to bolster communication
Posted: Tue, 15 Jun 2010The senior management team at telecoms distributor Nimans has a 2005 feel to it as Richard Carter rejoins the business after a recent stint at Rocom.Carter worked at Nimans until...Read More »
European M&A market hits two year high
Posted: Fri, 11 Jun 2010A series of billion-dollar buys last month pushed the combined M&A market to a value high of $15.8bn, a level not seen since mid-2008, according to the May 2010 monthly...Read More »
Daisy splashes out on mobile distie
Posted: Thu, 10 Jun 2010Just days after securing a new credit facility, acquisitive SME comms provider Daisy Group has splurged £3.6m in cash on Northumberland-based mobility distributor Fone Logistics.Fone Logistics, which turned over £19.6m...Read More »
Photo Gallery: The ACEs 2010 - The Winners
Posted: Tue, 08 Jun 2010The MicroScope Awards for Channel Excellence (ACEs) 2010 were held at the Lancaster Hotel in London on 26 May rewarding all levels of the channel for their hard work. What...Read More »
Midwich raises tricolor after closing SIDEV acquisition
Posted: Tue, 08 Jun 2010Midwich has made its first acquisition in mainland Europe after buying certain assets and the trade of small, troubled French AV distributor SIDEV. The Lyons Commercial Court has agreed to...Read More »
SMC slots Northamber into distie line-up
Posted: Thu, 03 Jun 2010LAN hardware and connectivity specialist SMC Networks has added Northamber to its distribution squad in the UK, augmenting the existing front row of Channel Dynamics and Micro-P.Citing the "reach and...Read More »
HP preps price hikes for networking boxes
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2010Hewlett-Packard is expected to increase the price of its networking boxes from next week to account for the weakening Euro. At the same time it is rebuilding demand generation activities...Read More »
SCHd closes Interchange office and relocates staff
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2010SCH Distribution has insisted that the closure of its Interchange office in Bracknell and the subsequent re-location of 30 staff will not result in redundancies however sales director Amanda Jones...Read More »
IDC ups UK PC sales forecast after consumer desktop rebound
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2010IDC has upped its sales forecasts for the UK PC market on the back of better than expected demand for consumer desktops and notebooks. This rather pours cold water on...Read More »
Avnet to Azlan; stop poaching our staff
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2010Azlan's recruitment strategy is facing strong criticism after it poached nearly half of Avnet Technology Solution's Unified Communications team. The networking arm of Computer 2000 has already recruited Avnet's former EMEA...Read More »
MicroScope ACEs winners announced
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2010The fourth MicroScope Awards for Channel Excellence (ACEs) were held in London last night with the achievements across all levels of the industry recognised and rewarded.Resellers, distributors and vendors were...Read More »
Comstor adds IronPort to line-up, hands boss over to Westcon
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2010Comstor has announced it is making the Cisco IronPort portfolio available to its SME-facing line-up in the UK and Europe.The distributor has been running Cisco certification training and workshops with...Read More »
Bell readies HP Networking portfolio
Posted: Mon, 24 May 2010Bell Microproducts is creating a new virtual team to represent the new HP ESSN unit and will be training up its servers and storage teams to sell the combined ProCurve...Read More »
McAfee sets July as the date to reveal results of distie review
Posted: Mon, 24 May 2010McAfee is evaluating the responses from distributors looking to come through its channel revaluation process and has set the first week of July as the date a decision will bne...Read More »
Resellers seek answers over BECTA framework uncertainty
Posted: Mon, 24 May 2010Resellers are scrambling about for information on the forthcoming ICT Services education framework due to kick off in August, in light of the Government's decision to close procurement organiser BECTA....Read More »
Micro-P parent grows annual sales, profits
Posted: Tue, 18 May 2010Micro-P and Gem parent SerCom, the IT arm of DCC, has posted improved results for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2010, with chief executive Tommy Breen hailing "excellent results in...Read More »
User security burden an opportunity for specialist resellers
Posted: Tue, 18 May 2010The threat of proposed cuts across government departments might weaken the ability of public sector bodies to keep on top of security compliance regulations.Even before the Chancellor George Osborne dots...Read More »
Bell slides to $5m loss in Q1 ahead of Avnet acquisition
Posted: Tue, 18 May 2010Bell Microproducts managed to push up its sales by double digits during the first quarter but slid to a substantial loss in what is likely to be its last quarter...Read More »
Kyocera channel boss Shepherd to move to Acer
Posted: Mon, 17 May 2010Kyocera Mita channel boss Alicia Shepherd is to up sticks and join Acer as distribution sales manager from mid-June. The early work will be spent meeting the distributors - C2000,...Read More »
Asian vendors dominate growth in UK Q1 PC arena
Posted: Mon, 17 May 2010The rise of the Asian PC vendors continued in the first quarter with Acer, Samsung, Lenovo and ASUS benefiting the most as the UK market finally emerged from recession. Numbers...Read More »
Extreme brings ScanSource partnership to UK shores
Posted: Mon, 17 May 2010LAN infrastructure specialist Extreme Networks has added convergence distie ScanSource to its UK line-up alongside Mayflex and Westcon.The distributor, which already worked with Extreme on the continent, brings skills in...Read More »
Sun resellers not told about new rebate structure
Posted: Fri, 14 May 2010Oracle has left Sun Microsystems' resellers in the dark over what their new rebate structure will look like despite ending the current channel programme this month. At the same time...Read More »
Datatec profits halve in 2010
Posted: Fri, 14 May 2010Declining sales at its key business units, networking distributor Westcon and systems integrator Logicalis, knocked back total 2010 revenues at Datatec by 10% to $3.74bn (£2.56bn), while net profits effectively...Read More »
Analysis: Security disties look beyond traditional markets
Posted: Fri, 14 May 2010Over the course of the past 18 months moves have been made by some of the most established players in the specialised security distribution channel to widen their range of...Read More »
IT cuts to be deeper under Tory-Lib coalition
Posted: Wed, 12 May 2010The channel is waiting with bated breath for the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition to outline spending cuts in IT, which are expected to be far greater than under any...Read More »
C2000 extends Credit Elevator to comms channel
Posted: Tue, 11 May 2010The Credit Elevator programme that Computer 2000 runs for small IT resellers is to be transferred to comms dealers and retailers via its Brightstar Europe operation. Under the Ts&Cs, mobile...Read More »
UK server sales return to double digit growth in Q1
Posted: Mon, 10 May 2010Server sales in the UK rebounded during the first quarter as big business and Government replacement cycles came online. The health of the sector had improved late last year but...Read More »
Arrow Electronics component arm hits the mark in solid Q1
Posted: Wed, 05 May 2010Arrow Electronics' component business was the profit and revenue driver in a solid set of first quarter financials but a decline in server sales hindered growth in its infrastructure division....Read More »
Northamber notes Q3 sales tightness, April demand sluggish
Posted: Wed, 05 May 2010Northamber cited challenging market conditions and its decision not to chase "empty revenues" as reasons for the continued sales slide in its fiscal third quarter. The Surrey-based distributor, which today...Read More »
ComputerLinks shuffles management pack to focus on services
Posted: Fri, 30 Apr 2010In its ongoing transition to increase services revenue ComputerLinks has announced a reshuffle of its management team.The Newmarket-based distributor has been actively looking to grow business in areas beyond security...Read More »
European weakness a concern for Avnet
Posted: Fri, 30 Apr 2010Continued weakness in the European market remained a concern for Avnet as other geographies showed signs of coming out of recession much quicker.The distributor highlighted a relatively slow revenue growth...Read More »
Ingram Micro sales growth outpaced by profits in Q1 2010
Posted: Thu, 29 Apr 2010Spurred by a stabilising global economy and product refreshes the reseller channel is looking more buoyant than it has done in years, Ingram Micro's chief executive has claimed. Evidence for...Read More »
Selway Moore went down owing channel millions
Posted: Wed, 28 Apr 2010The collapse of Reading-based HP reseller Selway Moore has left a string of creditors with debts of £2.7m in its wake. Financial statements gathered from Selway Moore reveal that unsecured...Read More »