Mitsubishi adopts Var status in Navision deal

Mitsubishi Electric has recast itself in the role of value-added reseller in a bid to become the leading provider of financial systems to medium-sized UK businesses and has launched a software integration and services arm.

The recently formed software solutions division has signed a partnership deal with accountancy software vendor Navision and will focus on pushing Navision Financials - the vendor's enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite - to customers with a turnover of between #5 million and #250 million.

According to the vendor-turned reseller, the partnership is more than just a bundling agreement. Mitsubishi's software division will market and support the suite irrespective of a customer's hardware preference.

It will also supply complementary software from other vendors as part of its resource planning package.

The division will sell directly to users and as a value-added distributor through its existing resellers.

Ian Cowan, managing director of the software and services arm, said he expected Mitsubishi Electric to become the UK's leading Navision reseller.

He estimated the business would generate revenue of at least #2 million by the end of 1999 and expand its sales force three-fold during the same period.

'We have identified a mid-tier market to which we can offer a total solution.

The financial packages currently available in this market tend to be firmly at either end of a price/functionality spectrum. Navision plugs the gap as a relatively low cost, yet easy-to-implement business application' said Cowan.

Yash Nagpal, managing director of Navision in the UK, said: 'This is good news for Navision, for Navision's customers and for Mitsubishi.'

He insisted the deal would not reduce the level of business for Navision's current channel of about 55 resellers.