CCI makes vertical move into B2B

CCI Distribution has taken the wraps off its new B2B division as it looks to increase its focus on the business market.

The distributor’s Professional Storage division is aimed at system integrators and resellers, and is launching with 14 new staff members consisting of sales, support, products and quality assurance teams.

Split between its Harrogate headquarters and integration centre in Knaresborough, the division will embrace the distributor’s new vertical approach to the market.

Tony Howard, project manager for CCI’s Professional Storage Division, said: “New vendors will be added to the portfolio, but we will be selecting by vertical so they offer value to our partners ­- surveillance, post editing or geographical sciences, for example.

“The surveillance market in particular will continue to grow at a rapid rate, as we continue to face threats from terrorism. The Olympics will also offer many opportunities in this vertical.”

New vendors already signed up include Arena, QNAP and G-Technology. CCI will also look to integrate products from a number of its existing vendors, including Hitachi, Transcend and Freecom.

Howard added: “Our portfolio has traditionally been hardware oriented, so we will be looking to introduce some software vendors in the near future around areas such as virtualisation, de-duplication and replication.”

At the distributor’s integration facility, solutions can be customised and pre-integrated on behalf of channel partners, and quality-assurance tests can be conducted.

Howard said the division will commence by offering storage solutions, backup and archive solutions, security and surveillance solutions and storage application solutions.

CCI’s web site has also undergone a revamp to coincide with the new division.
“Users now have the option of choosing professional or consumer products when they land on the homepage,” added Howard.

Clive Longbottom, service director of market watcher Quocirca, said CCI has made a wise move.

“CCI’s integration centre in particular is a brilliant idea, especially during tough times,” he said.

“If you are a small VAR, you may not have the money for a proof-of-concept centre. The channel is struggling with loyalty due to market conditions ­- this move from CCI will breed loyalty among its partners and add real value to its B2B channel.”