Fujitsu builds up Intel server reseller base.

Fujitsu Siemens is developing its SME reseller base to help it continue to build market share aggressively in the Intel server market.

Fujitsu Siemens is developing its SME reseller base to help it continue to build market share aggressively in the Intel server market.

The vendor has been the fastest- growing Intel server vendor for the past year and was the only vendor to record sales growth in the second quarter of 2002 compared with the same period last year, according to research from IDC.

According to Thomas Meyer, an analyst at IDC, Fujitsu increased its sales by 83 per cent in Q2 2002 compared with the same period last year. But he added: "Fujitsu Siemens is not yet a significant player because this growth is from a very small base, with a total server market share in the UK at below three per cent.

"If it wants to become a major player, Fujitsu Siemens will have to have a medium-term strategy and grow at this rate for more quarters to come."

To this end, the company has launched its 'Primergy Club' initiative which is targeted at SME server resellers. The initiative is aimed at closing the wide skills gap between selling entry-level servers and selling, servicing and supporting high-end servers.

Ian Snadden, director for SME and channel sales at Fujitsu Siemens UK, said: "We recognise increasingly that our channel partners need specialist skills to sell and support our higher-end Primergy servers, and this requirement will become even more essential as we introduce our new blade server technology later this summer.

"The channel is essential to our growth. We know there are a lot of successful server resellers out there and we want to work with more."