Forum doubles down in UK with ASM signing

US-based security vendor appoints ASM as its first UK distributor

US-based cybersecurity vendor Forum Systems is aiming to double its UK revenues after appointing ASM Technologies as its first distributor on this side of the pond.

Forum's API gateway technology combines identity and access control at entry point.

Stephen Dale, channel manager at ASM, said the distributor was compelled to add Forum to its portfolio after the duo were introduced by a mutual reseller customer and it became clear there was a gap in the market.

The vendor, whose UK clients include the Home Office, had previously served end users direct or through a one-tier channel of resellers and systems integrators.

It has now formalised its partnership with ASM and hopes to double its revenue in the UK in 2015.

Bruce Herron, vice president of sales at Forum said: "The most vibrant market for us is the UK - it is much more important to us than the US, because of the recognition in the UK of the importance of security."

ASM works primarily with the large integrators, but also with mid-market, independent VARs, Herron said.

"We therefore see opportunities for the wider channel as a whole - not just exclusively with the largest integrators - to make money through professional services using Forum products," he said.

"Forum is not a professional services company. Our focus is on building hardware and software, so we pass the professional services opportunity to the channel.

"In some cases we don't fit well with the large integrators because some of them are technology amalgamators and they buy technology to blend into their solutions. We are independent so we compete with their technology portfolio. It makes more sense for us to align with partners who are independent and not technology aggregators."

ASM bills itself as a non-traditional distributor, focusing more on projects with its client base, rather than "piling stock high".

For the financial year ending 31 March, ASM achieved £28m turnover, with its sales growing by 30 per cent.