Electrone targets VARs for UK market growth
US peripherals manufacturer unveils plans to recruit channel partners for UK expansion
US peripherals manufatcurer Electrone Americas is looking for 24 resellers to help it establish a foothold in the UK.
The firm’s products include biometric scanners and card readers for the retail, health, banking and finance, and manufacturing sectors. It set up its European headquarters in the UK about a year ago.
Speaking to CRN, Peter Ward, general manager at Electrone Europe, said: “Electrone used to do business in the UK when it first set up 20 years ago, but then mainly focused on the US market. We have been building things up in the UK over the past 12 months and are now ready to recruit partners and launch our first partner programme.”
Ward is hoping to attract around two dozen resellers.
“I think this would probably be enough to target most of the opportunities in the UK. We don’t want hundreds of resellers – we are looking to remain a bit specialised.”
Asked what type of partners Electrone Europe is looking for, Ward said: “Solution providers – integrators and resellers that are used to point of sale technology, perhaps with experience in the retail, finance or public sector spaces.”
Ward is also open to talking to distributors. “If in specific areas it makes sense to appoint a distributor then we would,” he said. “We are not ruling anything out.”
Robin Barker, a director at VAR Blueloop, said: “Electrone appears to have a wide range of products, but it is also entering quite a competitive market with many of the products already available here in the UK.
“There are plenty of suppliers of specialised keyboards and display devices and unless Electrone is offering benefits in terms of cost or functionality it may find it difficult to make an impression in this market.”