Westcon Australia integrates with LAN Systems

Issued by Datatec
Johannesburg, 07 Nov 2001

Channel service providers combine to give more effective logistics, configuration, professional and technical services

Datatec`s global channel provider of networking technology products, Westcon Group, has announced that the Australian offices of LAN Systems and Westcon have integrated.

The combination of the two local Westcon Group operations will give their vendors and customers more effective and extensive service offerings in terms of logistics, configuration, credit, professional and technical services.

LAN Systems has become the sole trading entity for the Westcon Group in Australia. All staff from Westcon Australia have been retained and the senior management teams of both companies combined. Westcon`s sales and marketing staff, customers and vendors have been integrated into LAN Systems.

Says Nick Verykios, Group General Manager of LAN Systems: "A key driver for the integration was that our customers wanted to deal with one central entity for all their networking and communications needs. The integration also delivers cost reduction to our business, giving us more effective use of funds to grow into new markets, reaching new customers in new verticals.

"This consolidation creates a tighter focus for the Westcon Group in Australia. Our combined staff will now be working together to build more business for our vendors rather than competing with each other for the same business. Our marketing strategy is also enhanced by a larger team which will work closely with our vendor partners, managing their channel strategy, while also analysing new business opportunities."

Says Alan Marc Smith, CEO and President of Westcon Group: "The combination of LAN Systems and Westcon Australia gives us the ability to leverage a wider range of resources as well as allowing us to serve our customers with an even greater breadth of value offerings for total connectivity solutions."

As part of a larger company, the combined LAN Systems and Westcon staff will have greater scope for career progression. LAN Systems will also take its successful channel services model to a larger customer base.

Datatec

Datatec is an international networking and IT services company with operations in many of the world`s leading economies. The group provides active management support in the strategic direction and operation of its subsidiaries and has three international networking focused lines of business:

Westcon is a global channel provider of advanced networking and Internet access products; Logical is focused on the provision of professional services and IT network integration; and Mason is a strategic telecommunications consultancy.

By operating in the different stages of the networking supply chain, through these individually branded businesses, the group believes it can leverage its industry and technology position, deal more effectively with vendors, focus its management and harness its skills base as a sector specialist.

In addition, the group has a number of other operations in South Africa with similar focused business areas. These are Westcon AME, Affinity Logic and Rangegate.

The group operates on six continents and generates more than 95% of its revenue and profits outside SA.

LAN Systems Australia

LAN Systems, a Comstor company, is a channel provider of networking technology products, and is a division of the global Westcon Group.

LAN Systems Pty Ltd is a provider of integrated networking and communications solutions to resellers, telecommunications carriers and information service providers throughout Australia and New Zealand.

The company is headquartered in Sydney and has additional offices in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

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