CA cuts Ingram and ACA Pacific

Computer Associates (CA) has cut Ingram Micro and ACA Pacific from its distribution books following the completion of a wholesale channel review.

Tech Pacific and Express Data would remain as CA distributors following the cuts.

Rodney Thorne, business manager for storage, networking and security products at Ingram Micro, said he was disappointed but not surprised by CA's decision, which was first flagged in February after a routine review found the US-based vendor was over-distributed here.

'It was an exhaustive process,' Thorne said. 'The review process was pretty open-ended and we thought we represented ourselves quite well.'

CA was a 'very good company' but Ingram had other vendors which might fill the gap left by its departure. At this stage, Ingram was unlikely to seek a replacement vendor, he added.

'We'll just address the opportunities as they come through,' he said.

However, Thorne said CA and Ingram would sit down together in coming weeks to discuss some new, alternative ways to work together in the Australian channel.

'As a top-level distribution company, we're never happy about losing any agency,' he said. 'But CA is an interesting one. They have not completely shut the door on us.'

Chris Wilson, regional manager at CA in Australia, wouldn't say why Tech Pacific and Express Data had been kept or Ingram Micro and ACA Pacific cut loose.

'I don't want to get into that,' Wilson said.

However, he did say that CA had considered each distributor's geographic base and was looking for strengths in line with its product strategy, especially in areas such as storage and security.

He said the four broad-based distributors had been asked to re-tender for their roles. A channel review last December had suggested CA needed to re-examine its distribution strategy.

That process was concluded on Friday, 11 June. CA had advised Express Data and Tech Pacific they would be kept on after a 'complex' series of evaluations and analyses had been carried out, he said.

Wilson said the four distributors were assessed according to an estimated '50 or 60' criteria. They had also been asked to submit documents outlining their strategies and how they complemented CA's business objectives.

'We handed out a review document and asked them to respond to it,' Wilson said. 'We ranked them on their strategic fit with our growth objectives and the needs of our resellers.'

At least one of the distributor's responses had been 80 pages long, he added.

CA's broad-based distribution would likely be reassessed in 12 months time, Wilson said.

Raj Saini, marketing manager at ACA Pacific, was unavailable at press time.