Utimaco targets UK to cash in on encryption 'unrest'

Vendor once owned by Sophos now on the hunt for 20 UK partners

German security vendor Utimaco is looking to capitalise on "unrest" in the encryption market as it launches a push into the UK channel.

The company, founded in 1989 and based in German town Aachen, specialises in encryption with its Hardware Security Modules (HSM) technology.

Utimaco was bought out by UK-based security vendor Sophos in 2008, but then bought itself back four years later. Following the buy-back, the firm launched a global expansion strategy which has now prompted it to look to the UK for more partners.

It currently has no partners in the country – and until recently operated a direct sales model – but its vice president of sales Daniel Mothersdale said he hopes that will change soon.

"Utimaco has always done our business out of the German headquarters but now we are pushing very heavily to expand our business with more personnel live on the street actually in the geographic areas we are expanding into.

"We are right in the middle of it [partner recruitment] at the moment and I am hoping by the end of February to have 20 partners working with us in the UK."

He said his firm is looking to lure security partners who understand encryption and can develop applications for the customers they already have.

He added that the company is looking to capitalise on the fast-moving encryption market.

"There is an awful lot of movement and unrest in the marketplace," he said.

"Some of the big players have been bought up – such as SafeNet who were bought by Gemalto – and that gives us a massive opportunity to say we are the alternative provider that can create the mechanism where you have a true independent HSM provider that gives what the marketplace is looking for."

Morthersdale talked up the company's Software Development Kit (SDK) technology which he claims could offer partners 100 per cent margins.

"With the SDK, if they have the skills where they can create applications to provide a bespoke solution, they will gain 100 per cent margin. The benefit for us is they use our encryption product," he said.