The UK arm of Unix storage systems vendor Artecon Inc is altering its sales route in the UK, abolishing direct distribution in favor of dealers and value-added resellers (VARs). UK divisional manager Robert Taylor said that the decision was partly a result of last year’s acquisition by Artecon of NT storage vendor Storage Dimensions Inc (CI No 3,382) and partly by the development of the enlarged company’s product line. In European terms, Storage Dimensions had a presence virtually only in the UK, whereas Artecon was already in several countries around the continent, he explained. While Artecon, given its target market, had always worked through dealers and VARs, Storage Dimensions had traditionally worked through a distributor. Thus, uniting the two companies meant that, for the past year, Artecon had been registering roughly 40% of its sales through distribution and 60% through dealers and VARs. Now, however, the distribution channel has been discontinued altogether. Our new products are becoming more complex, making it harder for distributors to handle them, Walker explained.
