Sahara invests in Mozambique
Mozambique : broadliner Sahara Computers has launched its new assembly plant of Dzowo Computers in Mozambique. The official opening of the PC assembly operation was a landmark achievement for the Mozambique Information & Communication Technology (MICTI) organisation and Sahara, and stemmed from a memorandum of understanding reached between the company and its host country in 2007. This joint venture is thus a partnership between Sahara Computers and MICTI, a semi-government organization, forming Sahara ICT, Mozambique. MICTI is involved in various sectors including education, business incubation and a Science Park.
The agreement made provision for a 3000 unit-per-month plant that will assemble and distribute laptop and desktop units. It represents the preliminary stage of the launch of a 5,000 sq. meter ICT and component distribution plant to supply infrastructure and product to the region. This signature product range, named after the father of the nation, Eduardo Mondlane, will be marketed as a product range manufactured in Mozambique and distributed to a growing reseller network in the region.
Representatives from Sahara and MICTI say the objectives include the set-up of additional assembly operations for PCs, laptops and digital lifestyle product; job creation; helping to streamline technology and maintenance and support of IT product services as well as provide skills transfer and training. For every PC that is assembled and sold an amount will be donated to the Dzowo Trust. The Trust will oversee projects that will include student bursaries and youth development. "In the long term the core focus is going to be the development of local business and entrepreneurs through the creation of dealerships and re-sellers throughout Mozambique. We will also explore the possibility of expanding capacity to export products to neighbouring countries," explains Atul Gupta, chairman of Sahara Computers.
Merlion boosts portfolio
Russia : broadliner Merlion has signed a partnership with ASRock to distribute its motherboards across Russia and the CIS region.
Actual Systèmes invests in e-commerce
France : regional broadliner Actual Systèmes has chosen I-Com Software as partner to build its new e-commerce website. Currently, the distributor gave its resellers very few online functions, which did not allow them to be as efficient as with other distributors (source : Channel Insider France).
Secure Computing with Afina
Spain : network and security VAD Afina Sistemas has expanded its partnership with McAfee to its Secure Computing line of products (source : Dealer World España).
SNE backups with Qstar
Netherlands : QStar Technologies, provider of archiving and data management solutions, has signed a distribution partnership with storage VAD SNE (source : ChannelWorld Nederland).
A Razer for IDP
Italy : PC component specialist IDP has started to distribute Razer high end keyboards, mice and headsets in the country (source : ChannelCity Italia).
Spanish cabinets for AJM
Poland : cabling and networking specialist AJM Electronics has been chosen by Spanish cabinet vendor Casbar as official distributor for the country (source : Computer Reseller News Polska).
A first distributor for Packard-Bell
United Kingdom : PC vendor Packard-Bell, whose local subsidiary is managed since a few months by Frenchman Sylvain Braem (formerly Eastern Europe sales manager), has scored its first distributor in the country, broadliner Micro Peripherals, while a second is already planned, almost surely a major broadliner (Ingram Micro or Computer 2000). The brand was previously sold only through Dixons retail shops.
Sysob cyphers with Secuware
Network and security VAD Sysob has been chosen by Secuware as official distributor for its cyphering tools for the whole DACH region (Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland).
Management departures in the UK
United Kingdom : in just a few hours, Ingram Micro and Westcon Security managers in the country, Julian Klein and Kay Bruen, have both resigned for respective companies. Pablo Suarez, currently managing director of Ingram’s Miami Export Group, moves to the UK to take over Klein’s role, while Westcon is interviewing for Bruen’s replacement (source : Computer Reseller News and again).
Elko cooperates with Microsoft
Latvian broadliner ELKO Group has obtained from Microsoft the rights to distribute computer software not only in package with computers (as until now) but also separately. Till now, ELKO Group distributed Microsoft OEM (original equipment manufacturer) production intended for sale only in package with new computers in Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Slovenia, Romania and Slovakia. With this new agreement, ELKO Group gets also rights to distribute Microsoft FG (finished goods) products : licenses of companies (Open License, Open Value), retail products (Full Packaged Products) and licenses with special allowances for education institutions (School Agreement). The concluded agreement allows distributing of above mentioned products not just in Latvia but also in the other covered member countries of the European Union.
SurHardware goes bankrupt
Spain : regional broadliner SurHardware, specialized on Andalousian market, has been declared insolvent. Although still operational, its future depends on the decisions of its administrators (source : Channel Insider España).
3Logic hand in hand with NZXT
Russia : broadliner 3Logic has expanded its PC component portfolio with NZXT computer cases and accessories (source : Astera Rossiya).
New Ability for Qwerty
Netherlands : retail specialist Qwerty has signed a distribution partnership with British productivity software editor Ability (source : Computer Reseller News Nederland).
Altiris enters ITway catalog
Italy : Symantec has authorized network and security VAD ITway to distribute its Altiris line of infrastructure management tools (source : ChannelCity Italia).
SIM4travel signs up Data Select
United Kingdom : SIM4travel has appointed phone specialist Data Select to extend the distribution channels for its global travel SIM cards. The partnership will allow the Truphone company to benefit from the relationships Data Select has with retailers and businesses (source : Mobile News United Kingdom).
Another Polish distributor in GTDC
Poland : after its competitor ABC Data, broadliner AB SA becomes the second distributor to be a member of GTDC, the Global Technology Distribution Council. This thus expands a bit more the presence of European distributors in this organization, which is still dominated by American companies (source : Computer Reseller News Polska).
Asialand draws with HIS
France : PC component specialist Asialand has expanded its graphic card offer (Asus, Gainward, Gigabyte, MSI and Sparkle) with HIS-branded products.
New management for PC-Ware
Germany : Raiffeisen Informatik, which recently acquired the majority of SOD and software specialist PC-Ware, has seemingly decided to reshuffle its management, as CEO Kurt Lötschke has been replaced by Klaus Elsbacher and CFO Tillmann Blaschke by Thomas Reich. New COO is Hans-Jörg Egger (source : Inside Channels Schweiz).
Brocade weaves in Avnet
United Kingdom : continuing with its strategy of uniting its storage area network (SAN) and IP networking businesses, Brocade has opened its entire portfolio to existing distributor partner Avnet. Previously partnering with Brocade for its SAN portfolio only, Avnet has been granted access to the IP networking products acquired through the vendor’s acquisition of Foundry (source : Computer Reseller News United Kingdom).
