GE Access tells of ambitious UK plans

Sun's biggest global distributor is bullish about its strategy

Six weeks after GE Access acquired Sun Channel Development Partner (CDP) tplc, Sun's biggest global distributor is bullish about its plans for the UK.

Last week, Mike Mangham was appointed as general manager of GE Access UK.

"GE Access has huge visibility in Europe and the US, but as far as the UK goes it has been virtually unknown. My role is to bring about growth in the UK," he said.

Mangham said tplc's back-office operations have been transferred to Holland, but the front-end operations remain in the UK.

"The integration of the two companies has been tested throughout June. This is Sun's year-end and generally an extremely busy time, but it has stood up to the test," he claimed.

He admitted that the acquisition had led to a few redundancies, but declined to go into further detail.

Mangham said the distributor has "ambitious plans to develop its Sun strategy", and that when the market recovers it will look to attract additional resellers.

"I have no doubt whatsoever that over the coming months partners and customers will begin to see a more innovative and ambitious organisation than they have seen before," he said.

Jason Edge, managing director of VAR Phoebus Solutions, said his firm has been running marketing campaigns with GE Access and it has already generated leads.

"Obviously there have been minor teething problems, but we have been able to supply our customers on time and we have the advantage of GE Access's European stock. We are pleased with the way business is going since the take-over," he said.