Regional distributor, Emitac Distribution has signed a distribution agreement with Azeti Networks, a manufacturer of innovative high-performance solutions that monitor IT infrastructure, as well as operational technologies in organisations.
In terms of the distribution deal, Emitac will supply the region’s solution provider channel with Azeti’s entire portfolio of IT infrastructure monitoring solutions. The deal, which is effective from March 2011 will see Emitac expand its value add solutions business beyond the current HP server, storage, networking solutions and services.
According to Emitac, the partnership is part of the company’s broader strategy to develop and grow its value add distribution business in the Middle East and Africa region.
Patrick Mulligan, GM at Emitac Distribution, says the company is delighted to partner with Azeti as this alliance opens up new margin opportunities for channel partners in the region. He adds that this partnership paves way for Emitac to continue its expansion strategy with the value add business.
Mulligan says the company decided to bring to market Azeti’s solutions offerings because the products complement Emitac’s existing value add solutions. “Azeti is the first expansion of our value add portfolio outside the HP array,” he says.
Mulligan points out that although it is early days for Emitac’s value add business, the company’s approach to this business is to build the value portfolio slowly but have market credibility. “We are in no hurry to partner with vendors for the sake of partnering,” he notes. “Our approach at Emitac even with our volume business has been to build competencies internally to ensure that vendors and resellers benefit from working with us.”
Jose Bustamante, VP at Azeti Network MEA, says Azeti is looking forward to working with Emitac as the distributor was chosen because of its business strategy in growing the value offerings and the extensive geographical reach it has in the MEA belt.
Bustamante says the value add approach to channel selling is a new a ecosystem that requires a vendor to have local resources on the ground that support both distributors and resellers with pre- and post-sales.
Bustamante says that because of the nature of solutions that Azeti brings to market, ideally the company will be looking to work with solution providers that target large enterprise environments. He points out that because Azeti provides solutions that monitor IT infrastructure and operational technologies in organisations, the company will be looking at providing training to both Emitac and the solution providers that come onboard. “We are currently already working with Emitac to ensure that the internal Azeti team is trained and certified,” he says. “Training will continue to be provided on a regular basis.”
Bustamante adds that this training and certification programme will be extended to solution providers that join to take Azeti’s solutions to market. “We have a partner programme that offers a range of benefits to Gold and Platinum partners,” he says.
Last year, Emitac Distribution was one of the few regional distributors that streamlined its operations to improve performance and efficiencies. Emitac Distribution’s entry into the value add foray pundits say, was the last missing piece in the company’s business in the more than 30-years of being operational in the Middle East region. Emitac plans to continue expanding its areas of operation to increase its clout in the value add distribution segment.
