German graphics board maker Elsa has signed up Microtronica, the components distie, to improve coverage into the UK system builder market. Microtronica will also wholesale Elsa's datacomms product lines into corporate VARs and resellers.

Elsa has around 12 per cent of the UK retail graphics board market; Guillemot has nearer 40 per cent. It has a toehold in the UK system builder market and now also wants to spread its wings into the UK corporate and SME sectors. Jackie Seear, Guillemot UK marketing manager, said the company is close to signing a distie to take the brand into these markets, but declined to say who in advance of contract sign-off.

DFI, the Taiwanese mobo maker, has signed up Watford-based Aventi to rep its entire product range into the UK. Aventi will build up a UK distribution network and will run a national ad campaign for DFI. Aventi says it hopes to emulate the success DFI has "already gained in the other main European markets, namely Germany, France, Spain and Italy, can be emulated here".