Hardware distributor, Westan, has inked a deal with Oki Printing Solutions to bolster its printing products line.
Managing director, Victor Aghtan, said it had been in discussions with the vendor for some time and it would sit nicely alongside its Samsung range of printers.
"Oki has a higher-end range, so it really doesn't interfere with Samsung products," he said. "Oki want to increase their push into the IT channel and we can help them there. It is also complementary to our customers on the Business Communications division side."
Aghtan said Westan would take on about 90 per cent of the Oki range, excluding top of the line machines. Oki colour printers start from $400 up to $25,000.
Westan will look to launch introduction and marketing programs for resellers as it releases the products.
"Due to the margin squeeze in the reseller channel at the moment, I think Oki will have a positive contribution because it is a higher margin product," he said.
Westan joins Ingram Micro, Alloys International, XiT and Dynamic Supplies in the vendor's distributor ranks.
Oki general manager, Graham Harman, said Westan was an attractive choice because it had a strong IT clientele and a warehouse presence in South Australia.
"That is one area our current distribution channel does not have a point of presence," he said. "When resellers want something, they want it quick and having stock come from Sydney or Melbourne was not palatable."
Harman said it was also a bonus to have a second distributor representing it in WA alongside Ingram.
"This gives us an additional distributor in WA and it's also getting deeper into the IT channel," he said. "The other distributors are doing this but Westan have their own client base, which we want to get into that market as well."
