Unipalm clinches crucial Net double

Internet specialist wins Oracle contract and sole UK distribution rights for NetObjects.

Unipalm is completing its transformation following its appointment ashts for NetObjects. an Oracle distributor and sole distributor for Net Objects.

The Newmarket distributor, which has repositioned itself as an internet and e-commerce specialist, will join Sphinx CST in supplying Oracle's full range of products following Azlan's axing in March.

Unipalm has also been appointed as Net Object's sole UK distributor following the end of the vendor's relationship with Principal.

Mark Norman, managing director of Unipalm, said the Oracle appointment was significant. 'If we only take a third of the current Oracle business we would double our revenue,' he said.

'We have been offering products that supported databases in an internet, intranet or extranet environment, but not actually supplying the database itself. Oracle has 80 per cent of this market and its strategy is based on the internet so it made perfect sense for Unipalm to partner with it.'

He added that Unipalm would concentrate on sales of Oracle's 8i database and Internet Developer Pack to SMEs through about 150 key resellers. 'Oracle has not been hitting the SME sector as strong as it could have in the past, and that is where our strength lies.'

He said Unipalm will create a group focusing on the Oracle, Allaire and Net Objects accounts.

Commenting on the end of Oracle's relationship with Azlan, Nigel Thomas, UK marketing manager at Oracle, said: 'We came to a mutual conclusion that Azlan wasn't able to deliver what we wanted. We wanted more commitment from it.

He added: Unipalm is an internet distributor and Oracle is the piece that it was missing. It will address resellers that we wouldn't have spoken to in the past.'

Thomas claimed there would be minimal crossover of selling to the same customers between Unipalm and Sphinx CST.