Sun warms to new partners
Sun Microsystems's expanded UK distribution line-up will be announced next month after being delayed since April. GE Access and Clarity are expected to join Tplc, Sun's current master distributor in the UK.
Sun Microsystems's expanded UK distribution line-up will be announced next month after being delayed since April. GE Access and Clarity are expected to join Tplc, Sun's current master distributor in the UK.
Eric Saillard, European marketing director at GE, said: "GE already does business with Sun in the US and other parts of Europe, so why not the UK? We expect a final decision from Sun in October."
But Saillard dismissed reports that Sun was looking to replace exclusive distributor Tplc. "It is clear that Sun has been looking for a new channel distribution partner but it is also clear that Sun is not about to shut down its relationship with Tplc," he said.
"The mindset of Sun has changed. It is looking to broaden its partnerships towards account management and product development relationships, not to replace a distributor," he added.
UK-based Clarity has also been linked with Sun business and went under the spotlight after the defections of a number of Tplc employees, which included Simon Welch, marketing manager, and Paul Denton, reseller account manager.
October's announcement will end the exclusivity that Tplc has enjoyed since it partnered Sun in 1990.
Neil Pattie, Tplc's group head of media, said that Sun had informed the company that an additional partner was being sought in the UK, but declined to comment on why Sun had chosen to expand its UK distribution team.
"We have had a long and successful relationship with Sun for 10 years now and I'm sure it would not do anything to compromise our position," Pattie said.
Meanwhile, Sun has announced that it has joined forces with three web infrastructure companies to help service providers glean extra margin through value-added services.
The platform, announced last week, will combine products from Inktomi, Portal Software and Redback Networks. The companies have also signed up Cap Gemini Ernst & Young as a system integrator.