FS to spread UK success in Europe

Vendor to build on sales growth from server and notebook lines

Fujitsu Siemens is replicating its UK sales model across Europe, following successful sales growth from its server and notebook lines.

The vendor, which sells entirely through the channel in the UK, reported turnover of £84m for the first half of 2002, compared with £65m for the same period last year.

The company said its specialisation in mobility and business-critical computing, as well as its development of the channel, had led to this 29 per cent increase.

Richard Bessant, marketing manager at reseller Blue Chip, said the vendor had got its channel and products strategies right.

"The fact that it sells only through the channel gives us confidence in it, and its products are well placed and have good price points," he said. "Its marketing activities, training programmes, and the support it offers are also good."

Stefania Lorenz, an analyst at IDC, said the channel has played a key role in the company's growth. "It works very closely with its partners and wants to be with everybody, everywhere," she said.

"The channel can benefit from working with Fujitsu Siemens because, unlike Dell, it does not use price to win business, and resellers can make margin."

The vendor is to strengthen its mobility focus with the introduction of a tablet PC and General Packet Radio Service versions in its personal digital assistant range.

"We are working hard to increase the skills and product knowledge of our resellers and we want to sign more SME partners," said Dave Cullinane, managing director of Fujitsu Siemens.

Cullinane is confident that demand for the Stylistic Pen Tablet PC will take off. "There will be a good market for this because companies like Microsoft are driving it," he said.