Openconnect Begins Search to Find Distribution Partner

Openconnect Systems has opened up negotiations with distributors after making its first move into the UK networking market.

The Web connectivity developer, which has set up offices in Reading, will sell through Sun?s resellers after signing a bundling agreement with the network computer manufacturer as well as through networking giant Cisco, which has an undisclosed equity stake in the firm and will OEM its products.

Openconnect is also set to sign a partner specialising in selling connectivity. Graham Jones, managing director of Openconnect, said: ?I am not looking for a traditional distributor, but someone who can help me in the larger accounts and who will have about 10 authorised partners.?

The company, based in Dallas, Texas, distributes its products in more than 60 countries. Jones intends to establish it as the leader in the Web to host connectivity market.

?IDC sees this market growing from nearly zero to #1 billion over the next three years. My goal is to maximise strategic relationships and put Openconnect on the UK map,? said Jones. He conceded that the firm?s UK expansion depended on how quickly the thin client technology took off.

Jones was MD at Attachmate for six years, expanding it from four to 60 employees and lifting turnover from $500,000 to $27 million. Next year, he said, Openconnect will view Attachmate as its main competitor.

He plans to increase the number of employees based at Openconnect?s Reading office from four to 10 by the end of the year.