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Distributor News

  • Northamber signs up Wasp
    Northamber is to distribute Wasp’s range of bar code scanners, printers, software and accessories from today.
  • Euler to cut SCC credit in line with trade levels
    Euler Hermes is planning to cut the level of credit insurance provided to SCC’s suppliers by 30% as it continues to downgrade exposure to the IT sector.
  • Fraud pushes Celltec into administration
    Manchester-based sub distributor Celltec has been placed into administration after falling victim to a bad debt caused by fraud.
  • Review of the Month, June 2009
    The top stories of the month as chosen by MicroScope.co.uk readers.
  • MicroScope top five, week ending June 26 2009
    The top five stories grabbing your attention last week on MicroScope.co.uk
  • Bell Microproducts edges closer to NASDAQ relisting
    Bell Microproducts has taken a step closer to getting its books up to date and being relisted on the NASDQ today by filing results for 2007 and 2008.
  • ComputerLinks offers round the clock reseller support
    ComputerLinks has unveiled a 24/7 support centre for resellers in response to growing channel demands for round the clock global support.
  • Maverick to expand across Europe
    Maverick is setting up operations across Europe and has reshuffled its UK management team, freeing up current incumbent Jon Sidwick to spearhead the expansion.
  • Former DSGi Business director joins Northamber to head up sales
    Northamber has appointed former Equanet head Mark Chatterton as director of sales.
  • Packard Bell signs up Micro P to build a retail channel
    Packard Bell is taking the first steps to re-establish itself in the UK retail sector by penning a distribution deal with Micro P and is believed to be close to signing Ingram Micro.
  • Northamber makes way for Micro P in Lenovo reshuffle
    Lenovo has confirmed that it is winding down its distribution agreement with Northamber and is preparing to welcome Micro P on board.
  • AT Comms shares temporarily suspended on AIM
    AT Communications (ATC) shares have been temporarily suspended from trading on AIM while a £3.62m warranty claim from Nimans is investigated.
  • 3Com terminates Northamber contract
    3Com has given Northamber its marching orders following a review of the business as sales volumes fell short of expectations.
  • ComputerLinks adds HID to physical security line-up
    ComputerLinks is continuing to sign vendors to bolster its physical security division promoting a package that can be sold by security resellers looking to extend the scope of users existing investments in building protection.
  • Ingram Micro UK md Klein resigns
    Ingram Micro UK managing director Julian Klein has confirmed to MicroScope that he will leave the organisation by the end of the month to be replaced by Pablo Suarez, who currently heads up the distributor’s Miami Export Group.
  • Graydon to help resellers overcome credit crunch
    Credit reference agency Graydon is launching a service that validates small resellers’ monthly management accounts online so that distributors and underwriters can ascertain if they are credit worthy.
  • Top five stories on MicroScope.co.uk
    A round-up of the top five stories grabbing your attention last week on MicroScope.co.uk
  • Symantec adds SCH Distribution amid distie review
    Symantec is reviewing its distribution line up and plans to drop one partner after it has welcomed on board SCH Distribution next month.
  • Channel urges HP to extend rebate scheme
    Distributors and resellers have urged Hewlett-Packard to extend the predictable linear rebate model for the remainder of the fiscal year.
  • Cary takes sabbatical from Northamber
    After 22 years at Northamber product channels director Jared Cary is to leave the company to take a six month sabbatical.
  • Lane Fox confirmed as Government's digital champion
    The Government has finally confirmed that Martha Lane Fox has been appointed as the champion for digital inclusion.
  • C2000 ''disappointed'' as VMware terminates contract
    Computer 2000 has voiced regret about VMware’s decision to terminate its SME distribution contract and will refocus efforts on alternative vendors including arch rival Microsoft.
  • Westcoast adds Toshiba consumer lines
    Toshiba has become Westcoast’s second largest vendor behind HP, after signing a distribution deal to punt the consumer electronics portfolio.
  • Ingram Micro EMEA president Forbes set to leave
    Ingram Micro has handed the reins for its EMEA operation to Alain Maquet following the resignation of current incumbent Jay Forbes.
  • Avnet boss still optimistic about recovery
    As one of the first to predict that things would improve from the third quarter of this year Roy Vallee, CEO of Avnet, is holding to his optimistic views in the face of continued economic pressure.
  • Government tweaks credit insurance scheme
    The Government has buckled under pressure from businesses and backdated the top-up trade credit insurance scheme to October but the costs and bureaucracy involved will continue to hinder wide adoption.
  • Distributors call for more aggressive support from vendors
    Distributors have called on vendors to take more action to help counter the credit crunch through extending payment terms and encouraging leasing.
  • Recovery timetable still unclear, warn major distributors
    Some of the biggest names in distribution have warned that the recovery will be slow and growth in IT spending might not return until next year or even 2011.
  • Distributors stress appeal to investors
    The Global Technology Distribution Council (GDTC) has used its second European investors event to paint a picture of a distribution industry that is under valued with the strength to weather the economic storm.
  • Euler U-turns on Northamber credit insurance cuts
    Euler Hermes has back tracked on its decision to reduce Northamber’s trade credit insurance and deferred any potential movements while it gets clearer visibility of the distributor’s full year trading.
  • IBM postpones roll out of software accreditation
    IBM has delayed the introduction of the selective distribution model as part of the Growth For Skills accreditation until next year.
  • Winners at the MicroScope ACEs
    The MicroScope awards were held last night in the Hurlingham Club in South West London with the great and the good of the channel attending an event that recognises and rewards excellence in the reseller, distributor and vendor communities.
  • Doughty to leave Avenir Telecom
    Avenir Telecom commercial director John Doughty is to leave the distributor in July to take up a new position at a converged IT and comms player yet to be named.
  • Symantec to target McAfee resellers through Bell
    While the dust is still settling on McAfee’s decision to dump distribution partner Bell Microproducts, arch rival Symantec is looking to exploit the potential upheaval.
  • McAfee terminates Bell Micro distribution contract
    Bell Microproducts’ senior management have been left scratching their collective head following McAfee’s decision to rip up its contract.
  • Solution in sight for CNP fraud
    Online resellers blighted by cardholder-not-present (CNP) scams have finally been thrown a lifeline via a credit card that generates a unique code each time it is used and is required before a transaction can be completed.
  • Tech Data hit by lower IT spending
    Tech Data has posted mixed results for its first quarter enjoying a rise in income but a drop in revenues.
  • Gower leaves Avnet after 20 years
    After 20 years at Avnet, most recently as vice president for the UK, Mathew Gower has resigned from the distributor and will be replaced in the interim by Sukh Rayat, head of sales for EMEA.
  • Micro P parent posts solid results depsite downturn
    DCC Sercom, parent of distributors Micro P and Gem has defied the worst recession to hit the IT industry by posting a solid set of financials for fiscal 2009 but warned the tough trading climate will continue till next spring.
  • Logicalis shining star in Datatec firmament
    Datatec has filed a mixed set of results for its financial year experiencing a slight increase in revenues as profits dropped.
  • HP distributors raise prices as back-end rebates end
    Distributors raised prices on all Hewlett-Packard technologies this month by 2% to 3% following the removal of back-end rebates but coupled with hikes made by the vendor, the cost of printers to resellers could increase a little over 7%.
  • Northamber parts company with Lexmark
    Lexmark and Northamber have ended a 20 year partnership after both companies decided the volumes of business transacted and the cost of managing the relationship meant it was no longer commercially viable.
  • Global distributors hail improved US economy
    The great and the good of global distribution believe that the worst of the recession might be over in the US as that economy enters a leveling off phase.
  • Microsoft reviews OEM distributor contracts
    Microsoft is currently reviewing its business relationships with OEM distributors in the UK amid suggestions in the channel that the tougher trading climate could result in partners being cut from the fold.
  • EMC rolls out 0% channel financing through Magirus
    EMC Global Financial Services is arming channel partners with a zero per cent leasing scheme that has been exclusive to customers that bought direct, in the hope that resellers can convince cautious spenders to put pen to paper and sign off purchase orders.
  • Avnet boss predicts market recovery in Q3
    Volumes in the distribution landscape are down by one fifth on last year but Avnet Technology Solutions EMEA boss reckons that notwithstanding any unforeseen events in the economy the market will recover from the third quarter.
  • Atradius to review Insight Enterprises credit lines at month-end
    Despite making suppliers jump through hoops to get a percentage of the credit insurance on Insight Enterprises, Atradius is planning to review the VAR’s line at the end of this month according to sources in the channel.
  • Ingram boss says Dell franchise could reach $1bn a year
    If all goes as expected the Dell franchise could be worth $1bn a year to Ingram Micro when more resellers that had bought customised systems from the vendor are given the option of buying pre-configured SKUs from distributors.
  • UK leads recovery at Bell Microproducts
    Dell has held its second partner advisory council in Europe with the main topics of discussion centred on financing schemes, collaboration with the direct sales team and the development of next generation online tools to drive business.
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  • Ingram CEO says worst could be over
    Ingram Micro reckons the IT market has flattened out and will not deteriorate further in 2009 but despite a flurry of activity in March that signalled a welcome revival, the real recovery is not expected to take place until next year.
  • Northamber hints at strategy shake-up
    Northamber is unhappy with declining support levels available from some of its vendors and has affirmed that it will put “a higher level of focus” on “supportive partners”, paving the way for an imminent shake-up.
  • Euler halves Westcoast cover
    Euler Hermes has halved the credit insurance coverage available to Westcoast suppliers after a review of the lines, but the distributor has played down the impact on its business.
  • Arrow not prepared to call market bottom
    Arrow Electronics is licking its wounds after the distributor saw its Q1 net profits drop 68% year-on-year to $26.7m (£18m). Sales slipped 18% to $3.42bn as the slumping global semi-conductor industry started to make its impact felt.
  • HP drops Avnet from Lefthand channel
    Hewlett-Packard has dropped Avnet Technology Solutions from Lefthand Networks distribution channel but it appears that CMS Peripherals will be spared the axe and given the opportunity to recruit and train more reseller partners.
  • Hammer to build Microsoft embedded server sales
    Hammer has taken on board Microsoft’s embedded server products, as it continues to build a stronger presence in the white box channel and markets that technology to resellers.
  • UK shows signs of reacquiring taste for IT acquisitions
    The number of acquisitions in the IT sector has held up reflecting the same levels of the last four years despite the impact of the recession.
  • Avnet planning more cost cuts
    Despite expectations that the recessionary conditions may lift in the not-too-distant future, Avnet plans to cut a further $25m worth of expenses from the business by September, in addition to the $200m already saved this financial year.
  • Westcon to ease cross-border Cisco trading
    Resellers going outside the channel to source hard-to-find Cisco SKUs will be able to get increased support from the vendor’s channel after Cisco signed its first global distribution agreement with Westcon.
  • Sphinx to carry Alcatel-Lucent VoIP security kit
    Security and networking VAD Sphinx has gained access to Alcatel-Lucent’s full VoIP product range after signing on to distribute its IP telephony security platform.
  • Recovery in PC market unclear says Gartner
    Only a day after the world’s largest chip manufacturer Intel proclaimed the PC market had bottomed out and was on the road to recovery, analyst Gartner has poured cold water on the claims and warned the evidence is inconclusive.
  • Channel given one month to influence WEEE review
    The channel has a month to respond to proposals to revise the WEEE directive that would alter recycling targets, strengthen enforcement, introduce a quota for re-use and harmonise recycling registration schemes to reduce administrative costs.
  • Wick Hill signed up by NetGear
    Wick Hill has made its second vendor signing in a fortnight after securing the rights to carry NetGear’s products including the secure appliance range.
  • Intel says the worst of the downturn is over
    The PC market has bottomed out in Q1 and the industry is returning to “normal seasonal patterns” reckons Intel president and CEO Paul Ottelini, however the company was not confident enough to provide revenue guidance for this quarter.
  • InFocus sells up to eMachine founder John Hui
    Troubled projector vendor InFocus has agreed to sell up to serial entrepreneur and founder of eMachines, John Hui, for around $39m (£26.2m) in cash.
  • Avaya to front cash for partners
    Avaya’s in-house financial services unit, AFS, will pay all upfront equipment costs to its distributors and half of the installation costs to resellers as part of its Advanced Funding Programme.
  • NetApp overhauls UK management team
    As part of a global cost cutting initaitve, the UK executive team at NetApp has been shaken up following the redundancies of managing director Mark Stevens and regional sales director Phil Bradley.
  • Fortinet signs Bell security deal
    Network security and UTM whizz Fortinet has hooked up with Bell Micro in an attempt to capitalise on upward trends for virtualisation, consolidation and compliance among enterprises.
  • Fraudsters target resellers as downturn bites
    The number of attempts to perpetrate frauds against resellers in the first quarter has more than doubled compared to a year ago as the downturn continues to put pressure on the channel and makes dealers more susceptible to scams.
  • Intel UK names Harrison as new channel head
    Intel partners would like to see some innovative ideas and more flexibility on marketing and product availability from Christine Harrison, the chip giant’s new channel manager for the UK and Ireland.
  • Callacher gets Bell security role in unit merger
    Bell Microproducts has added responsibility for its EMEA security wing to networking head Ed Callacher as part of a drive to merge the two business units.
  • HP distributors raise prices to counter rebate loss
    Hewlett-Packard distributors will raise prices across the portfolio by a minimum of 1% from the start of next month after it emerged that the vendor plans to withdraw some back-end rebates for wholesale partners.
  • Spicers to reviews operations and cut jobs
    Office stationery and IT distributor Spicers has become the latest player to succumb to the tough economic realities of the slowdown after revealing it has entered into a consultation period with staff and will make some redundancies.
  • Robust security market aiding ComputerLinks
    The continued robustness of the security market has been held up as the main reason for ComputerLinks’s relatively sound set of yearly results.
  • Avaya Azlan EMEA relationship not bound for UK
    Avaya and Azlan have inked a pan-EMEA distribution agreement but according to Andy Gass, managing director of Azlan’s UK parent, Computer 2000 it is unlikely to be extended to the UK.
  • Samsung takes on Wick Hill to engage data side of voice
    Samsung has appointed Wick Hill to distribute it's voice and data switches in a move that takes both parties into new channel territory.
  • HP rings in the channel changes for H2
    Hewlett-Packard is scrapping Partner Development Funds (PDF), extending its rebate programme pilot and rationalising SKUs to reduce the channel’s reliance on back-end margin and price more aggressively upfront.
  • Government to provide trade credit insurance
    The Government is next month expected to make provisions for trade credit insurance to ease the pressure on UK businesses that have been left exposed by the underwriters’ reduction in cover.
  • ComputerLinks yearly figures show turnover rise and earnings dip
    Security distributor ComputerLinks has reported its results for last year with turnover increasing but net earnings fell by 15% over the same period.
  • Spicers aims to grow reseller activity
    Stationary wholesaler Spicers is stepping up its efforts to promote itself as a channel player as it looks to grow its reseller activities.
  • Magirus extends virtualisation skills help for resellers
    Magirus has taken the wraps off its vPartner programme with the aim of increasing virtualisation skills in the channel.
  • WinMagic taps e92plus for disti contract
    Data security and encryption solutions vendor WinMagic is pairing up with VAD e92plus to supply its SecureDoc solutions package to the channel.
  • Dell set to expand UK server distribution
    Ingram Micro and Tech Data will be handed server distribution rights by Dell in the not-too-distant future, the company has confirmed.
  • DNS Arrow fishes up Barracuda disti contract
    Email and web security appliance specialist Barracuda Networks and DNS Arrow will be getting to know each other over the coming weeks after putting their marks to a pan-European distribution agreement.
  • Dell to add broadliners in Europe this year
    Dell’s global head of channels is planning to instate Tech Data and Ingram Micro as European distributors before the year is out, with the aim of recruiting SME VARs into PartnerDirect and rubber stamping its commitment to partnering.
  • ZyXEL teams up with security disti
    Network access vendor ZyXEL is to make a move on the IP-CCTV sector after signing a partnership agreement with specialist surveillance kit disti and Panasonic house CCTV Center.
  • Orange signs Brightpoint for IT push
    Orange is hoping a newly-signed distribution agreement with Brightpoint will allow it to start making inroads into the IT reseller community.
  • Tech Data and Ingram get Dell distribution in US
    Dell has appointed Tech Data and Ingram Micro to handle desktops and notebooks in the US with a firm indication the partnership will be extended to other territories.
  • IBM appoints Bell as part of System x turnaround
    IBM is continuing to implement its turnaround strategy for System x and has brought on board Bell Microproducts to promote blades and high-end systems.
  • Nimans snaps up Rocom for £12.45m
    Nimans has splashed out £12.45m to acquire Rocom from the ATC group ending months of uncertainty over the future of the voice distributor.
  • Computerlinks adds Netgenium to physical security lineup
    Computerlinks has signed IP network security specialist Netgenium to its recently launched physical security portfolio in a move it said comes in response to reseller demands.
  • IBM rips up Ingram Micro x86 contract
    IBM is winding down its UK partnership with Ingram Micro on System x following a review of the business, leaving the distributor without a top three server vendor.
  • Ingram Micro retrenches on continent
    In another worrying sign that the recession is biting hard, Ingram Micro is canning several of its country operations in Europe, the broadliner revealed this morning.
  • Distribution must wait for Cisco UCS
    Cisco has confirmed that the initial roll-out of its Unified Computing System (UCS) will not be available to partners through distribution, but has insisted that this is normal practice for major new technology releases.
  • LSI streamlines supply chain with European hub
    Storage connectivity vendor LSI has created a European hub that has dramatically slashed the lead times for kit and cut supply chain costs by more than halving the amount of inventory that distributors and integrators were required to hold locally.
  • Micro-P gets Cisco consumer contract
    Cisco’s Consumer Business Group (CCBG) has confirmed the addition Micro-P as a fourth wheel to handle its ‘Linksys by Cisco’ consumer portfolio.
  • Baker Tilley appointed as administrators by Triangle
    Triangle Computer Services has finally been placed into administration with Baker Tilley managing the situation.
  • Douglas sets agenda for Westcon future
    Westcon Group COO Dean Douglas will take over the role of president and CEO of the networking and convergence distributor from 1 April, the firm has announced.
  • Astaro launches SME programme with Arc
    Astaro has revealed plans to work with Arc Technology with the aim of increasing the support available to help resellers sell security into the SME market.
  • Ingram Micro adds extra credit
    Ingram Micro has today opened up extra credit lines for SMB dealers across EMEA by moving a ‘significant’ proportion of its SMB customers from pre-payment arrangements to credit lines.
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