Microsoft appoints Arrow Altech as Embedded Distributor

Microsoft South Africa has announced the appointment of Arrow Altech as its local Embedded Distributor. With the appointment, Arrow Altech will be licensed for the distribution of Microsoft Embedded Product, such as Windows CE, Windows NT Embedded, Windows XP Embedded and the newly released Windows CE .Net.

"We are very pleased to announce our distribution partnership with Arrow Altech based on the company`s international business relationship with Microsoft," says Guy Macqueen, OEM manager at Microsoft South Africa. "Coupled with the company`s reputation in understanding the local embedded product market and the skills` set of its employees, we are confident that Arrow Altech is well positioned to provide Microsoft system integrators (SIs) with services of the highest standard.

"Microsoft`s Embedded products provide a foundation for the .Net device platform, which takes Microsoft`s vision of enabling great software `any time, any place, any where, on any device,` to a new stage," continues Macqueen. "As an Embedded Distributor, Arrow Altech will provide products and services in response to the soaring market demand for integrated embedded devices and for specialised server appliances."

"Our distribution partners are extremely important to our business and play an integral role in the Microsoft value chain," says Thomas Hansen, director, small and medium business group at Microsoft South Africa. "We are looking forward to working with Arrow Altech in providing system integrators with great technology to offer added business value to their customers."

"The appointment as local Embedded Distributor for Microsoft South Africa constitutes a strategic fit to our comprehensive line card and we believe that the Microsoft product offering is an important addition to our ability to provide a one-stop solution to Arrow Altech`s broad customer base," says Philip du Preez, managing director of Arrow Altech.

Microsoft South Africa recently appointed the newly formed Explix Technologies (Pty) Ltd (trading as Workgroup) as a Finished Goods (FG) distributor and has confirmed its continued distribution partnership with Comztek as a Retail and Finished Goods distributor (FG). Microsoft South Africa also recently appointed Sahara Computers as well as Axiz to locally distribute Microsoft original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software, and at the same time confirmed its continued distribution partnership with Mustek for Microsoft OEM software.