Fujitsu Siemens ups its high-end presence

Firm wants to shake off 'PC box-shifter image'

Fujitsu Siemens (FS) is ramping up its channel presence in the high-end Unix space this year, and has said it wants to shake off its "PC box-shifter image".

Although 30 per cent of FS's EMEA business comes from the enterprise sector, the trick for the firm is to get its "strong offering understood in the enterprise space", said Dr Adrian von Hammerstein, FS's chief executive.

In the UK this strategy seems to be on track. Turnover rose 29 per cent last year and its business-critical computing (enterprise) business rose by half. This improvement was significantly helped by increased sales of Solaris-based platforms.

"Expect us to engage with the high-end Unix channel far more this year as we develop this space," said Dave Cullinane, managing director of FS UK.

Although the company's EMEA business expects to just break even in the next six months following flat revenues announced at the end of last year, it has undertaken some restructuring and implemented some shrewd cost-cutting measures, said von Hammerstein. But he added: "Business conditions are still extremely tough."

Von Hammerstein also said he regards business-critical and mobility computing as two areas that will be the pillars of future success for the company.

David Bryant, managing director of reseller Hytec Information Security Solutions, said his firm dealt with Fujitsu/ ICL in the past but had shied away from it because he thought it had lost focus.

He told CRN he was now very encouraged that FS has come up with a credible solution in both price and performance for the high-end enterprise. "You can buy tin anywhere. FS is adding value," Bryant said.