APC to roll out new channel partner program

The company currently has one certification program that covers all verticals and specialities but is set to introduce a new certification program to cover different individuals and their area of expertise.

It also plans to expand into the ET (electrical trades) market.

According to Bart Mascorella, channel sales manager Pacific, APC, the company has a well established business structure but needs to find its ‘next level of growth’.

“We are 100 percent channel focused with a two tier channel model,” said Mascorella.

“We are rolling out a new partner channel program in 2009 with different certification levels for each discipline which includes individual incentives for sales and technical partners. We have also taken on a new project manager who will be helping us to run the program.

“APC will be making an official announcement in the first week of Feb. Moving forward we will be able to provide partners with more relevant incentives.”

Mascorella claimed APC is split 50/50 percent into the IT and ET market and the ET market is where it sees strong growth next year.

He said it has 800 partners who purchase goods every month in IT. It has just started to establish a presence in the ET market and Pacific Data will be its principle distributor with Ingram Micro, Express Data and DPSA more specialised in infrastructure.

“The biggest challenge for companies today is maintaning their data centre and that’s where we can help them and save them costs,” said Mascorella.

“Years ago, data centres used to be expensive and inefficient to build but APC started to build the components into the racks itself. Today we can build a data centre as big as you need and add to it as your requirements grow within your business.

“We design the actual platform for the customer,” he added.