Compaq plots Cad comeback

But the vendor has received a frosty welcome from the Cad channel

Compaq is to form a network of Cad resellers to back up its re-entry into the workstation market, despite the existing Cad channel's insistance that the market cannot support another hardware vendor.

The PC giant admitted it will struggle to win the support of Cad resellers after quitting the market four years ago.

The workstation products will be sold through Compaq's existing distribution channel and direct to its system resellers, which will target the financial market.

Hugh Jenkins, Compaq systems group product manager, said the vendor would have to work hard at building a channel. 'We have neglected this market for a long time. We shall be launching a big push into the Cad market in the first half of 1997,' he said.

'It won't be easy to win the hearts and minds of the Cad dealers, but we're planning a big investment over the next two years.'

Jenkins said he was enthusiastic about Compaq's return to the Cad market.

'When I started at Compaq in 1988, I focused on our Cad business. We used to have some of the best Cad products on the market and we're aiming to be in that position again.'

One Cad reseller said Compaq's move on the workstation market was poorly timed. The source said: 'There are Cad dealers going to the wall regularly.

There's no margin in Autocad and there's a lot of discontent in the channel.'

When Compaq announced plans to re-enter the Cad market earlier this year (PC Dealer, 14 August), the vendor admitted the success or failure of its plans would depend upon the involvement of the channel.

'Compaq is very committed to the channel. We need the channel to make this work,' Jenkins said.