Fujitsu signs Phoenix, splits with Ingram

Fujitsu signed Phoenix Toner as a distributor of its dot matrix and thermal point-of-sale printers, following a split with Ingram Micro.

Bruce Mclean, channel manager at Fujitsu said the new deal signalled the end of its relationship with Ingram Micro.

“We felt that Ingram’s product line was becoming rather crowded. The distributor has quite a broad base of products and while it’s capable of doing its job, both parties sat down and agreed to part ways amicably,” he said.

While admitting sales in the dot matrix printer market was flat, McLean said he expected Fujitsu to gain more share in this area following Phoenix's appointment.

Fujitsu and Phoenix launched a campaign dubbed "Dead or Alive" which is desgined to convince users to trade old dot matrix printer for a $50 rebate off a new model, with a two year warranty, McLean said.

Phoenix Toner has carried Fujitsu consumables products for the past 14 years. It also represents other brands such as HP, Kyocera and Lexmark.

Victorian distributor Multimedia Technology also carries a range of Fujitsu dot matrix printers.