Clarity moves closer to Sun

But move will cause redundancies

Distributor Clarity is streamlining its business to focus more on its main supplier Sun and capitalise on recent unease at rival channel development partner (CDP) tplc.

Clarity, which was appointed as Sun CDP alongside tplc two years ago, admitted that some staff would lose their jobs, but said that it is too early to reveal how many and in which parts of the company.

Simon Welch, group marketing manager at Clarity, said: "We are increasing our focus on the Sun product side and have discounted looking at Sun's competitors because we believe Sun is the best-quality vendor out there," he said.

However, sources in the industry believe Clarity is attempting to grab market share from rival tplc, following the recent breakdown of tplc's discussions with IBM and rumours that tplc's parent company, Fujitsu Services Multivendor Computing, may be sold.

Welch said: "For Clarity's business to thrive we do need to take market share. We are bullish that we are already taking market share because we are getting things right."

One reseller, who wished to remain anonymous, said there had been a tendency for Sun to push more of its business through Clarity than through tplc. "It's almost like the old pals act. Sun originally set up Clarity as competition for tplc," he said.

He added that Sun had repeatedly tried to get his company to team up with Clarity and abandon tplc.

However, a Sun source said that because of the downturn Sun partners "had to fight harder for business". But he denied that the vendor would actively favour one partner over another.

Kevin Wallace, general manager at tplc, said he did not speculate about his competitors.

"Our focus is on growing market share for our partners. Our success is dependent on our partners' business growing. Since we made our commitment to Sun, as opposed to IBM, our relationship has been stronger than ever," he said.