Flasma, Clarion Displays, Audionation and Lynden have signed up to spearhead UK sales for US digital signage control vendor Roku.

Pierre Gillet, vice president for European sales at Roku, said the four VARs will target a market expected to grow despite the downturn.

“We believe we can sell thousands of units a year [in the UK] because the digital signage market is exploding,” he said. “These products can go anywhere, such as in stores, petrol stations and travel agencies.
“I do not know how many thousands of stores there are in the UK, but it is a significant number.”

Roku recently established a UK office in Cambridge and launched its BrightSign range of interactive solid-state media players, but will sell 100 per cent through the channel.

Gillet said the channel partners were chosen partly due to their lack of market overlap. Roku’s intention is to have VARs with specialist expertise reselling products into
different key areas such as real estate, retail, hotels, transportation, banking or museums.

Southport-based Flasma supplies patented HD-capable displays that project moving images onto floors. Manager Chris Porter said Roku’s product is easy to use and compact.

“Furthermore, Roku’s team has always been extremely helpful and quick to respond,” Porter said.
Digital signage provider Clarion Displays also sees BrightSign as a complementary product. Sales director Simon Rodwell said

Waterlooville-based Clarion had been seeking a competitively priced high-resolution media player.
Weston-super-Mare audiovisual (AV) specialist Audionation supplies digital signage to retailers, museums and the leisure industry.

Lynden, which is based in Southampton, installs, designs and makes AV solutions for customers such as museums.