GE Access acquires tplc

Acquisition will be 'painless' for partners, promises distributor

Sun Channel Development Partner (CDP) tplc has finally been acquired by GE Access, after three years of speculation about its future.

Tplc, the distribution arm of Fujitsu Services' Multivendor Computing division, has been the subject of continuing sale rumours. The deal, which was for an undisclosed amount, finally went through last week.

GE Access, a global Sun CDP, was one of several interested parties circling tplc. From 1 May 2003, the name tplc ceased to exist and the distributor began trading as GE Access.

In a lengthy statement on its website, entitled 'Welcome Sun UK resellers', GE Access provided information on issues such as quotations, backlog orders, future payments, discounts and pricing.

The website claimed the transition would be "painless" for partners and said it would take about two months to integrate tplc completely into GE Access and review existing credit line.

"The acquisition is part of our strategy to grow our company and marks the beginning of a new, exciting era. Both companies share the same business values and are a compelling strategic fit," the statement said.

Steve Raby, director of partner sales at Sun UK, said the vendor had been working "proactively" with GE Access and Fujitsu throughout the acquisition process.

"It has been a three-way process to get it resolved," he said.

Raby said the acquisition fits Sun's plan to have strong pan-EMEA CDPs, and will make GE Access its biggest CDP.

"This acquisition will create something that will work well for all of us," he added.

The move has been welcomed by tplc channel partners. Jason Edge, managing director of value-add reseller Phoebus Solutions, said: "I see this as good news for UK resellers.

"Obviously GE sees value in the UK Sun channel, which will benefit us all in the long term.

"From our perspective as a smaller reseller, this is the better choice and gives us access to a much larger stockholding.

"With GE Access's financial muscle, customers may be persuaded to make those server purchases that have been put back for so long."

Simon Welch, group marketing manager at rival CDP Clarity, said the acquisition came as no surprise.

"What we need to see over the coming months is how much resource [GE Access] will keep locally, and how much tplc will be reduced by the obvious centralisation of functions," he said.

Tplc declined to comment on the acquisition.