Fujitsu builds up server reseller base

Vendor unveils 'aggressive' sales plans

Fujitsu Siemens Computers is to develop its reseller base to help it continue to build market share in the server space.

Ian Snadden, director for SME and channel sales at Fujitsu Siemens Computers UK, said that the vendor wants a committed reseller base to support its "aggressive" server sales plans.

Fujitsu Siemens has been the fastest growing server vendor for the past year and was the only one to record sales growth in the second quarter of 2002 compared to the same period last year.

IDC analyst Thomas Meyer said that Fujitsu Siemens increased its sales by 83 per cent over the period.

"But it is not yet a significant player because this growth is from a very small base, with the total server market share in the UK below three per cent," he explained.

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

To this end Fujitsu Siemens has set up an exclusive club for server resellers that want to be trained and tooled up to sell high-end servers.

The Primergy Club, as it is known, is aimed at closing the wide skills gap that exists between selling entry-level servers and selling, servicing and supporting high-end servers.

"We increasingly recognise 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," said Snadden.

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

Meyer pointed out that Fujitsu Siemens, like IBM, has been targeting the SME markets with reseller programmes.

"An aggressive channel strategy will benefit them at the moment because a lot of resellers are looking for alternatives now that HP and Compaq have merged," he explained.

Snadden said that Fujitsu Siemens' growth is only the tip of the iceberg, and that the company is determined to grow its sales further through the channel.