By Alex Scroxton

4 August 2008

Web 2.0 distributor VADition has signed on to distribute Huawei’s storage portfolio in a tie-up that the firm says will enable UK customers to make between 30 and 50% CAPEX and OPEX savings on Huawei storage kit.

Chinese Huawei – better known for its networking portfolio – already has a relationship with Gloucestershire-based Zycko but VADition business development director Barrie Desmond said he would add a more evangelical approach to its solutions, emphasising lower cost-of-ownership and increased margins for resellers during the downturn.

“This will initially be through storage, but watch this space for switching and routing products,” said Desmond.

Although he acknowledged some elements of the British business community were hostile to Chinese products, Desmond pointed out that the majority of Huawei’s western competitors already built their kit in China.

“What we have to do is change people’s minds and make them aware that this is very high quality technology with features and functionality that you would have to pay extra for with other vendors,” he added.

Huawei UK channel manager Simon Emery said: “VADition has a tremendous reputation in disrupting common thinking and practices by introducing new, innovative and intuitive technologies,”

VADition said it hoped to have eight resellers signed up on Huawei by 08 August, the opening date of this year’s Beijing Olympics, eight being a lucky number in China.