Local vendors turn noses up at Landis

Dutch distributor Landis has confounded channel critics by launching in the UK this week and is already selling to customers despite local vendors' reluctance to pledge their support.

Landis has provoked a chorus of disapproval within the industry, including Computacenter, after UK MD Roger Paul admitted he had poached staff from rival firms(PC Dealer, 5 November).

Paul confirmed that on Landis' price list, there were products from vendors such as Ascend, Novell, 3Com/USR and Cisco. Paul conceded he had yet to sign a distribution agreement with any vendor on the list, but this would change within the next few weeks when Landis could boast UK support from manufacturers.

Landis has been in the throes of meeting major vendors, including Shiva and Bay Networks, both of which are on the price list.

Phillip Crocker, director of European marketing at Shiva, said: 'We've told Landis it is not authorised and we won't provide direct support for it in the UK.'

However, he added: 'We cannot prevent it from shipping in a free market.'

Graeme Allan, UK managing director at Bay Networks, who met with Landis last week, said: 'Nothing has progressed, but we have had a positive meeting and discussions have begun.'