Micro P sharpens up
Relationship between distributor and SSPC 're-ignited' with projectors
Sharp Systems Product Company (SSPC) has appointed distributor Micro Peripherals to broaden its presence in the corporate sector with its projector range.
The move is in response to the increasing power of IT resellers in the audiovisual (AV) market, according to SSPC management.
As the business division of Sharp Electronics, SSPC has had a long relationship with Micro P. But Dave Barton, Sharp's divisional manager of projectors, said the relationship had had to be "re-ignited" after 12 months in which the vendor had not had a strong relationship with the channel.
"The education market has been booming for a couple of years now, but the real significance is the corporate market, which is booming again," Barton said. "Sales are expected to pick up as more IT managers and departments think about putting in whole system solutions."
Sharp came to the conclusion that IT decision-makers buy projectors from resellers and that the company was lacking coverage in that area. Barton dismissed the idea that traditional AV distributors could cover this market.
"We have an office product distributor [Beta Distribution] but it will not do for selling to the IT channel," he said.
Barton would not say why the relationship with Micro P had needed to be re-ignited, but he admitted there is little evidence of any cross-over in the channel.
"A lot of the more capable projectors need to be supported by IT skills," Barton said. However, he conceded that this was not the core reason for Micro P's re-awakening as a Sharp distributor. "What we've learnt is that resellers go to the IT channel because they're good at marketing themselves," Barton said.
Meanwhile, Micro P was reportedly happy to pick up the extra business regardless. "Micro P is delighted to strengthen its rapidly growing AV portfolio with a brand of Sharp's quality," said Anthony Catterson, managing director of Micro P.