Friday, 07 September 2012 03:47
Ian Mac Hueg Herlevsen, Prodware
As Dutch Dynamics reseller Qurius lops off subsidiaries, perhaps more is going on than a terrible European economy and one company's distress. First, the news at Qurius, which is liquidating after business hit the fan this summer. It has sold subsidiaries in Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Spain to Prodware, a major shareholder. Qurius promised to translate presentations of two executives into English following an August 30 information day for investors. It hasn’t. But just sound out the opening line of CEO Leen Zevenbergen: "Dit is voor Quirus een turbulente zomer." Well, Dutch is closely related to English and the relationship of England is the merger of seven British Dynamics VARs last fall to form mHance. Similarly, Prodware picked Qurius’s French and Spanish operations and earlier acquired Columbus's business there. Perhaps what is coming is not dominant country VARs, but dominant multi-regional operations. Microsoft’s talk of introducing Master VARs into Europe may become irrelevant. At the info event, Ian Herlevsen, Prodware’s director of international activities, spelled out Prodware’s business. Microsoft and Sage products are 43 percent of revenue with Microsoft sold globally and Sage in French-speaking regions. Outsourcing and security is 16 percent and SaaS 3.5 percent. The rest is from lines not sold by many U.S. VARs. Prodware also has integration agreements in Russia, the U.S., and the Baltic region. With more than 1,000 employees in 11 countries, it could be a contender here just as mHance likely will.