Landis ends speculation by signing vendors

Landis has finally secured UK wholesale agreements with Xircom, Madge Networks and Digi International, ending months of speculation over which vendors had given the distributor local approval.

The agreements, finalised in the week ending 27 February, are the first official signings since Dutch distributor Landis launched in the UK in November 1997.

However, Roger Paul, Landis MD, had previously claimed he would sign up UK vendors within a matter of weeks and had released a price list prior to any agreements (PC Dealer, 19 November).

Commenting on the signings, Paul said: 'Vendors are impressed with our marketing activities and it is becoming apparent that we are being very productive.'

Nass Nauthoa, distribution account manager at Xircom, which also supplies Azlan, Ilion, Computer 2000 and Ingram Micro, said: 'We are aiming for the project-based market and hope Landis will get us there as we have seen it use the same model in the Netherlands for us.' He added: 'Other distributors are never happy when you appoint another company, but everything is cool.'

But rival distributors are expressing their apprehension at the agreement.

Steve Lockie, general manager of networking at Computer 2000, remarked: 'We have had discussions with vendors about Landis and its grey importing into the UK. It is damaging the market.'

However, James McCall, Landis account manager at Madge Networks unit Lannet, said Landis purchased the vendor's products in Holland, the stop-off point from Israel. 'It is based in Holland so delivery of goods is faster because of the way the sea port works,' he said.

However, he admitted Madge's other two distributors, Data Translation and Unity, did not buy products in this manner. An industry source said: 'Any vendor that signs up an unaccredited distributor in the UK is not sticking to the principles of control in the channel.'

Paul said: 'We are something new and refreshing in the market.'