Reflex points to 2008 distribution shake-up

Security vendor reviews its distributors after teaming up with Cohort Technologies

Intrusion prevention vendor Reflex Security will trim its UK distribution line-up after appointing Cohort Technologies as its third distributor.
Reflex will conduct a distribution review over the coming weeks, with incumbents VCW and Manilma in the firing line.
Colin Gray, who joined Reflex as vice president of EMEA from rival BigFix in October, said the vendor would now aim to hit European targets by focusing on the UK.
“Cohort can add value around pre- and post-sales and help grow our UK market share,” he explained. “Two distributors is the optimal number.”
Cohort has been charged with doubling Reflex’s active resellers by June. The vendor already works with about six VARs, including Netstore, Network Technology Solutions (NTS) and Armadillo.
Grahame Smee, managing director of Cohort, said: “This will be attractive to a lot of our partners, because they understand technology and see the benefit of where margin expectations are higher.”
Manny Pinon, managing director of Manilma, said: “Every time that Reflex gets a new broom it puts a new handle on too.
“Any emerging manufacturer needs stability, and this seems to have eluded Reflex.”
Graham Fox, managing director of VCW Security, said: “I knew Reflex was looking to appoint Cohort and have no issue with that. We’ve invested heavily in our three core security products - Reflex, Breach and Fortinet - and see no reason to change that.”
PGP in cahoots with Cohort