Netscape aims to turn up volume in Europe

The vendor has chosen Ingram Micro to push Navigator and is in talksto shift its high-end products

Ingram Micro has agreed a deal to distribute Netscape Communications' low-end products through retail and mail-order channels across Europe, as part of the vendor's global channel expansion plans.

Netscape is also in discussions with remote access distributor Volante, which wants to sell the company's high-end server products as part of its intranet solutions.

One source said: 'Azlan, Access Graphics, Pipex and Sphinx Level V handle the full range in the UK, but there was a need for a broadline distributor to bash out Navigator in volume, as well as a niche player handling the high-end server products as part of a solution.'

Jean-Francois Guiomar, Netscape director of European channels, said the deal was done with Ingram last week.

'It only covers the Navigator and Fast Track server boxed products,' he said.

'We needed a focus on retail and the low end across Europe because our original strategy had covered only value-added distributors.'

A source close to Volante, which is part of Data Tec UK, said that it could be three months before the firm is installed as a fully fledged Netscape distributor.

'Netscape wants to prove to other distributors that there will be no conflict,' he said. Volante will still get supported pricing and direct support, but will source product through Azlan and co.'

Richard Jackson, Volante sales director, admitted that the firm was including Netscape products in its price catalogue, but said a distribution deal had not been signed.

'Other distributors promote Netscape products, while we are interested in selling complete intranet solutions including Netscape kit,' he said.

Netscape wants to sign dealers with intranet expertise to its Affiliate Plus accreditation scheme, which currently has about 20 UK members.

The company has also expanded its training programme with a reseller seminar series and server training courses. It has signed Hewlett Packard to support its products worldwide.

Last week, Netscape announced the public offering of 5.6 million shares of its common stock.