Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/1999/12/02/fujitsu_siemens_goes_gunning/

Fujitsu Siemens goes gunning for HP, IBM

Sends message to channel -– we're on your side

By Linda Harrison

Posted in On-Prem, 2nd December 1999 11:30 GMT

Fujitsu Siemens UK is to try and poach resellers from rival vendors via a channel-only sales policy. Outlining the company's strategy for the next three years, newly appointed president of the vendor's UK and Ireland operations, David Teague, said the company would stick to selling all kit –- except mainframes –- through resellers. Teague said he wanted to push the vendor from its current number five slot in the UK into the top three by 2002. The company will first attack the territory of IBM and then HP, currently the UK's third and fourth biggest PC vendors. It is expecting £350 million turnover in the UK in 2000, with £40 million coming from ecommerce. This equates to £4 billion and £700 million for the whole of Europe, with all Web sales being fed through resellers. Teague said he wanted to triple sales over the next three years and take advantage of the current confusion in the channel. "Resellers are confused by some of the vendors in the market and want to reduce their dependency on them," he said. "They don't know if these manufacturers will turn around and be competitors. And this undermines resellers' confidence." Teague said he wanted the company to increase its number of contracts in government, health and education sectors, as well as growing sales in the SME and consumer markets. He added that the company was also working on a reseller accreditation scheme. ® Related Stories Dixons chins AOL over "too dear" remarks Chipzilla, AOL enter into confusing PC deal Fujitsu Siemens sign on the dotted line