Celestix is going strong following its UK launch

Vendor signs 15 top-level partners and expects to see ‘significant' growth in the coming year

Security appliance vendor Celestix is close to recruiting its full quota of top-level partners just three months after its UK launch.

The firm, which has technology partnerships with both Websense and SurfControl, and which integrates Microsoft’s ISA Server on its appliances, operates a two-tier model in the UK, with e92plus as its sole distributor.

Speaking to CRN, Tim Ager, channel director EMEA at Celestix, said that business is going well.

“We have signed up our first 15 top-level partners in the UK already,” he said. “We will be looking for the final five throughout September. We also want to sign the next level of partner – Business Partner – and are looking for 15 to 20 of those over the next two to three months.

“However, our partner programme is not easy to join because we want the right kind of partners.”

Ager added that the firm is expecting “significant” growth in the coming year, and may look to expand its UK headcount this year.

He said the vendor works with “typical” security resellers. However, it is also seeing increased take-up from Microsoft resellers that are interested in Celestix products from a security point of view, particularly because ISA Server 2006 will be integrated in Celestix boxes from mid-September.

“Because there are so many ways to sell our products, there is always the opportunity to drop it into a conversation,” he said. “This is why we are seeing such interest from the reseller community.”

The firm is seeing particular success in the mid-market, and verticals such as automotive, manufacturing, legal and local government, Ager added.

Mukesh Gupta, managing director of e92plus, said that business is picking up.

“Customers have a wide choice with Celestix,” he said. “They can either d eploy it with SurfControl, ISA Server or Websense. This appeals to small end-users because they would rather buy a solution that is pre-packaged on an appliance, rather than having to buy everything separately.

“From a cold start in the UK, our Celestix business is ramping up really well in the UK, and is gaining momentum. We are the sole distributor for Celestix. We are also helping it to recruit new partners in the UK, which is going well.”