More details have come to light regarding the acquisition of the Acton-based distributor Software Ltd by Ingram Micro Inc of Santa Ana, California (CI No 1,646). Martin Blaney, group managing director of the Winprime Group that includes Software Ltd and now managing director of Ingram Micro UK, said that the group needed to become part of an international organisation in order to secure a long term future in the distribution business. Following the acquisition, on undisclosed terms, the UK operation will join with Belgian-based Ingram Softeurop to service West Europe. Ingram Micro has been nosing around for a UK microcomputer distribution business for a while – it took a close look at Frontline Distribution Ltd last year before Computer 2000 GmbH took a 49% stake (CI No 1,401). The US company is investing UKP6m in the UK company to help it grow. Over the next year or so Ingram Micro UK will follow the its parent’s lead in adopting focused marketing divisions such as Technical Products, Apple and Macintosh, Mass Storage and Windows. Blaney says that this will not take much reorganisation as it is just a case of beefing up focused group to feed the sales teams. The investment money will be used to pick up more products and to acquire other distributors in the microcomputer and workstaiton area. Ironically, Ingram Micro Inc is particularly strong in networking, while Software Ltd let its Network Connect subsidiary go in a management buyout last November (CI No 1,510): this is an area it intends to buy into.
