Siemens Fujitsu delays strategy

Siemens Fujitsu Computers' channel strategy is in limbo for up to three months, leaving resellers in the dark over the Christmas period.

Siemens Fujitsu Computers's channel strategy is in limbo for up to three months, leaving resellers in the dark over the Christmas period.

Despite confusion over its channel strategy, the recently merged company launched its Celsius Mobile Workstation last week.

Ian Davidson, channel marketing manager at Siemens Fujitsu, confirmed the hold-up. He said: "We are still very much in a period of evaluation for the channel. It will be for between four and 12 weeks. At present, it is very much business as usual."

Paul Morris, managing director of Lacartae Computer Systems, said: "We are dropping the line. The decision is related to the merger of the two companies. We were not getting the support we wanted from Siemens and our experience of ICL Fujitsu wasn't too good either, so the merged companies were not very appealing to us."

Simon Wintersgill, sales director at Towerbridge Systems, said: "Siemens Fujitsu's sales targets pass some benefits onto resellers it will mean more products and services. I don?t think the delay will cause problems for us."

One analyst familiar with Siemens Fujitsu, said: "The two companies do fit together very well, although mergers are always going to have difficulties. The companies had very different channels, so smoothing out problems in one channel will take time."

The vendor is aiming to be the European leader in PCs, servers and other markets by 2001, with a targeted growth rate in units of 40 per cent and revenue growth of 25 per cent.