IBM centres plan mooted for indies

SDL wants to create a network of independents selling IBM's Aptiva PCs under Aptiva Centre branding and is promising interest free credit deals and TV product advertising to get dealers to sign up.

Aptiva Centres will have to take a demonstration unit and get two members of staff product trained by IBM. In return they can offer interest free credit to customers funded by SDL and IBM; extended credit on the demo machine; and point of sale to promote the product.

SDL's chief operating officer Stuart Tidy said the scheme had been set up to enable the independents to compete with the multiples.