Distributor Interface Solutions International has claimed it is the UK's first to be able to offer resellers same-day configuration of certain IBM products.

The Birmingham-based VAD is offering resellers next-day delivery of Big Blue's System x rack-mount and tower servers on orders of up to three units. ISI claims this is a reduction of one full day on standard delivery times and will allow VARs to wrap up more business.

Rob Tomlin, business unit director at ISI, said: "If a reseller can promise reduced delivery times to its customer base, this clearly puts them in a better position than those that cannot.”

The distributor, a subsidiary of SCH Distribution, has also added two new staff to its Sun Microsystems division. Terry Mason joins as X86 programmes manager and has been given the task of ramping up reseller recruitment.

Mason has accrued more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry, most recently as a Mac development manager for DSGi. He also spent time in the 1970s as the drummer, and latterly manager, of rock band Joy Division.

Jan Hollingworth has been appointed as external Sun account manager, joining from a project management consultancy firm. During more than two decades in IT, Hollingworth has also worked for integrators Morse and Capita and spent more than 10 years at Sun.

ISI claimed both will have a key role in furthering its recently launched Cross Trading Programme. The scheme aims to pair up resellers with integration specialists to establish joint go-to-market strategies and increase volumes of Sun business.

John Taylor, ISI's Sun Business Unit director, said: “The programmes that Terry will introduce and Jan's 10 years of direct Sun experience in both channel and end-user accounts will be invaluable in helping us further realise our ambitions for the Sun division.”