M86 and Wick Hill in amicable break-up

Fare thee well: Wick Hill and M86 Security have stressed that they are parting company on good terms

M86 Security has parted company with VAD Wick Hill, leaving Vigil Software as the vendor's only UK distribution partner.

The firms decided to go their separate ways several months ago and, as of yesterday, the relationship is formally over. The summer has been spent migrating affected partners to City of London-based Vigil. Both M86 and Wick Hill stressed the amicability of the separation.

M86 chief operating officer Bruce Green told ChannelWeb that both sides had decided they had diverging goals.

"We both came to this decision and it was not acrimonious," he said. "We have worked with them to ensure a smooth handover."

Wick Hill chairman Ian Kilpatrick said: "We reached an amicable agreement that we wanted slightly different things. We have had an orderly transfer of support and customers."

Exactly one year ago, Sotfek was cut from M86's distribution line-up, shortly after the vendor came into being when vendors Marshal and 8e6 completed their merger. Last November, M86 played the consolidator once more with its acquisition of web gateway player Finjan.

Green claimed the coming together of three vendors had led to some channel partners naturally falling by the wayside. The success of working with only one distribution partner will be assessed over time, he added.

"There has been no strategy that said we are going to an exclusive distribution model," he said. "We are not actively out looking for another, as there is only so much change we can implement without unsettling our channel partners."