Trend Micro feeling Blue after axing Micro-P

Security vendor moving forward with just one SMB-focused distributor in the form of Blue Solutions

Trend Micro has called time on its short-lived alliance with Micro-P after opting to move forward with just two UK distributors, including only one SMB specialist in the form of Blue Solutions.

Micro-P and its security arm, Tekdata – which was recently rebranded as Micro-P Security – came on board as an SMB-focused distributor in July 2012 to replace Ingram Micro.

But CRN understands that Micro-P was axed in December, leaving Trend Micro with just one UK distributor focused on its SMB Worry-Free anti-virus wares in the shape of Blue Solutions. Sources say Micro-P's numbers were ticking along nicely but that Trend had made up its mind to throw its full weight behind just one SMB ally.

Trend now has just two UK distributors in total after its two enterprise-focused VADs, Computerlinks and Arrow, merged at the end of last year, although Trend recently said it has no current plans to add to its enterprise stable.

James Munroe, channel sales manager UK and Ireland at Trend Micro, would not comment other than to confirm that "yes, Blue are our focus distributor in the SMB space". Tekdata also declined to comment.

According to market watcher Canalys, IT security spending among UK small business with 10 to 99 employees is set to grow from $181m (£110m) to $194m in 2014, before hitting $232m by 2017. The global small business IT security market is set to hit $3.1bn this year.

Separate figures from Canalys indicate that Trend Micro led a global SMB content security market worth $2.3bn in 2012 with an 18.2 per cent share of the spoils, putting it ahead of McAfee, Symantec and Kaspersky.