Midwich and Imago shuffled ahead in Sony display distribution

Midwich's Darren Lewitt

Sony has shuffled its display distribution lineup, cutting Maverick out of play while retaining Imago and Midwich alongside Owl, True Colours and Invision UK.

Raj Pandya, Sony general manager for business-to-business channels, said the vendor has decided to rethink its distribution stable around display and projection product over the past year.

Sony believes that more specialised AV distribution is the best way to go in the current climate because that is likely to prove better at the solution sell, he said.

“What we mutually agreed was that what we are trying to achieve isn’t the highest priority for the [C2000 and Maverick] business [when it comes to displays and projection],” Pandya said.

The vendor has earmarked Imago as best placed to help it increase sales of its display and projection products via the AV channel.

Midwich, among other things, is able to offer access to channel sales via specialist subsidiaries Owl and True Colours and Invision UK was chosen for its display sales capability, Pandya said.

“It has become very clear to us as a manufacturer that we want to give a focus on certain [vertical] areas and have a channel that addresses those areas specifically,” Pandya said.

“We have been in constant communication with all our channel partners over the last 12 to 18 months about this.”

Maverick managing director Jon Sidwick had not returned phone calls at press time.
Darren Lewitt, divisional director at Midwich, said the distributor will work more closely with Sony than before.

“The bottom line is that the AV market has always been a market where people need support and to understand what solutions they are putting in, where it can be anything from an entry-level projector to a video-conferencing system or an interactive solution or 103in plasma for digital signage,” Lewitt said.

He opined that the typical cost-model in IT distribution does not favour resellers of AV products.

“IT distribution in the market has obviously got a specific cost-model to its business, selling things like software or computers at lower margins,” Lewitt alleged.
“By moving away from IT distribution, there is actually more room for resellers to make more money, which is good for everybody.”

According to a statement released by Sony is creating two teams specialising IT markets and AV integration.

The IT markets team will be headed by Naina Tailor, who will drive increased market share in SMBs and education, working with Midwich to develop existing and new technologies.

The AV integration team will be led by Michael Smart, working with Imago, Midwich, Owl, True Colours and Invision UK on the corporate, higher education, leisure, custom install, system integration and rental markets, Sony said.

Again, increase of market share is the main game, according to Pandya.