Unipalm sheds Macromedia

Security and e-commerce distributor ends relationship citing inflexibility and credit concerns

Security and e-commerce distributor Unipalm has terminated its relationship with Macromedia, citing an inflexible attitude from the vendor and credit concerns.

Unipalm has been distributing services for Macromedia's high-end server version of ColdFusion exclusively in the UK for over six years, but intends to wind up support before the end of the summer.

It will continue to distribute Macromedia's software for the next 90 days, although Unipalm managing director Mark Norman said he would extend that if necessary.

Two other distributors handle other ColdFusion products in the UK.

"You know the expression a high-maintenance woman? It was a high-maintenance vendor," said Norman.

"It has good people but the company is centrally managed from the US and very inflexible. Distribution is a high-speed game and response times were unacceptable. It was starting to demotivate our staff."

Norman also cited the vendor's credit arrangements as a sticking point. He said that in the past 12 months Unipalm had had its credit put on hold six or seven times without being told, which made hitting sales targets extremely difficult.

Macromedia conceded that credit had been a point of contention, but said it was not the only factor behind the parting of the two firms.

Fiona Coughlan, managing director of Macromedia, said: "Our two organisations have been moving in different directions for a while now.

"As for the credit situation, we use credit prudently in the current economic climate and tightened up in line with good corporate governance."

In a further reorganisation Unipalm has signed up two new vendors. The company is now the sole UK distributor for Texas-based TraceSecurity's ProActive Security Services, which deals with network security.

Symantec has also signed up, after a lengthy partnership with Unipalm's parent company, Computerlinks.