VADition lands Xelor as 'virtual vendor' partner
Distributor hails deal with US vendor and reveals plans to sign more channel partners
Distributor VADition is looking to recruit Cisco and Avaya VARs after the firm signed Xelor as its first “virtual vendor” partner.
As revealed exclusively by CRN, industry veterans Ian Morris and Neil Ledger launched VADition last month (CRN, 10 July), branding the firm as a distributor which can also operate a “virtual vendor” strategy.
US network quality management vendor Xelor has become the first firm to sign up to the “virtual vendor” model, which sees VADition representing new vendors entering the UK market. VADition had already signed storage vendor Isilon as its first traditional vendor partner.
Ledger told CRN: “We will work as Xelor’s UK arm because setting up in the UK is expensive. We will provide Xelor with its first and second line support and set up its UK channel.”
Ledger said the Xelor product works as a complementary add-on to Cisco and Avaya networks.
“Cisco and Avaya are the only networks the product works with at the moment, but Xelor is working on others,” he added.
Ledger said VADition is looking for a maximum of 10 Xelor resellers, operating in verticals such as finance and the public sector.
Rob Scott, chief executive of Xelor, said: “We want resellers at the high-end, the Gold and Platinum Avaya and Cisco VARs. This is because these firms have no credit issues and can sell into large enterprises.”
Les Barwick, managing director of rival distributor The 3P Company, said: “We having been operating a virtual distribution model since January 2003. Our setup involves working solely with BT to offer its products and services. However, we do not hold stock like a traditional distributor would.”
Barwick said VADition needs to ensure it does not sign too many vendors or the virtual distribution model could struggle, because its vendors will be competing directly against each other in the marketplace.