Munich-based personal computer distributor Computer 2000 GmbH’s plans for aggressive expansion into Eastern and Central Europe are in disarray. The company has reported teething problems in Hungary and the Czech and Slovak republics, although things are going better in Poland. European marketing manager Jan Jakrzewski said that the group has broken off negotiations with Prague-based TH’System, which was to be the sole distributor of Computer 2000’s product range in both the Czech and Slovak republics. They have turned out not to be the distributor we are looking for, he said; Our business is to distribute to resellers only, and not get involved with the end user. And they weren’t able to commit 100% to this. Jakrzewski added, We are talking to someone else, and in six weeks time I hope to be able to announce that we have a Czech partner. But obviously these discussions are more secret, as you can imagine. Before selecting TH’System, Computer 2000 was said to have held discussions with Czech reseller Abakus. Meanwhile, in Hungary, the company is having to re-jig operations, after losing its country manager, Istvan Feledi. Feledi was recruited only a couple of months ago to look after headquarters in Budapest. Since his departure, Jakrzewski admitted he had been a little under-informed, but said that Gabor Kertes was now Computer 2000’s main Hungarian contact. Unfortunately, no-one had heard of him in Budapest. The course of the Polish operation is running somewhat smoother. It was set up through the acquisition of local firm DHI in autumn 1992. Jakrzewski said that DHI will take sole charge of managing Computer 2000’s presence at the Computer Expo 93 in Warsaw later this month. Representatives from the German holding company will not go.
