Logitek signs to push ACC goods

The signing of Logitek completes ACC's UK strategy as the vendorreveals its pan-European designs

ACC has signed distributor Logitek, heralding a period of unprecedented channel activity, which will see pan-European partnerships, untried channels and product restrictions.

In addition to the Logitek relationship, contracts with a pan-European distributor partner and a third-party maintenance company are planned, along with a move into retail and the restriction of high-end network access products to accredited partners.

Martin Cassidy, VP of ACC EMEA, admitted the firm wanted a pan-European distributor in place by early 1997, although he maintained that the signing of Logitek as its volume-based channel is the final part of its UK strategy.

Cassidy conceded that of its existing distributors, Toplog was a more obvious choice than Data Connectivity or Logitek, but said an additional distributor was also an option.' The jury is still out on that one,' he said. 'We will either recruit another distributor or migrate one of the existing three to that business.'

Cassidy claimed the activity was down to the fact that the firm is on the threshold of huge growth. 'Business is getting bigger and we have to have a bigger model to support it,' he said.

Kevin Howarth, Logitek sales and marketing director, said: 'ACC has come of age in both product development and channel alignment.'

Also on the pan-European front, ACC is in negotiations with a major third-party installation and maintenance company. These moves, along with the relocation of European post-sales support to the UK, signal a desire to keep some control over the less developed European channel.

The move to retail is scheduled for early 1997, a move welcomed by Howarth.

'We don't deal with retailers, but we would if ACC wanted us to,' he said.

The vendor also plans to split its products into systems and commodity divisions and to deny non-accredited companies access to the high-end systems products. 'We're doing it to maintain margins for our Vars,' said Cassidy.