Vendors in the computer peripherals space continue to push innovative offerings that are driving rich margins for solution providers. There is also plenty of opportunity for peripherals sales and profits gains in the digital signage market with specialization allowing VARs to earn an incentive rebate along with special dealer demo programs. It is programs like ViewSonic’s Finch Club that are making peripherals, in some cases, the most profit-rich part of a VAR’s portfolio.

Here we look at 25 vendors in the computer peripherals space that solution providers need to know along with their respective channel contacts.

Top Channel Contact: Gregg Prendergast

Acer markets several LCD monitor lines: the D, G, H, S and T series, aimed at consumers. Its projectors include the consumer-oriented H5 and H7 series, and P5 enterprise projectors.

Top Channel Contact: Mark Reynoso

Belkin offers peripherals for networking, including wireless routers and adapters. Its products include power connectors, server and LCD rackmounts, as well as accessories for PCs.

Top Channel Contact: Tadashi Ishiguro

Brother provides industry, enterprise, home and home-office products such as printers. Brother also offers services such as a Multi- Function Center and facsimile machines.

Top Channel Contact: Joe Adachi

Canon offers digital production systems, laser printers, multifunction devices, and large format inkjet printers and toner cartridges. It also offers inkjet, image scanners, compact photo printers, LCD projectors.

Top Channel Contact: Sim Wong Hoo

Offers MP3 players, speakers, Webcams, pocket cameras, headsets, headphones and table radios. It also sells accessories for portable devices such as casing, screen protectors and power adapters.

Top Channel Contact: Gregory Davis

Dell’s laser printer products include color and black-and-white models, as well as multifunction units. It offers all-in-one inkket and dot-matrix printers, widescreen and flat-panel monitors, wireless mice and more.

Top Channel Contact: Tom French

Epson America markets printers and imaging products worldwide, including all-in-one, compact photo, as well as inkjet printers, scanners, projectors and professional imaging solutions.

Top Channel Contact: Matt McManus

Fujitsu has scanners, printers, keyboard/input devices, enterprise desktop scanners, CRT and LCD monitors as well as printers. Fujitsu also offers telecommunications and microelectronics solutions.

Top Channel Contact: Stephen DiFranco

Offers printer hardware, supplies, scanning devices. These have developed into multifunction products -- notably printer/scanner/ copier/fax machines such as OfficeJet.

Top Channel Contact: Doug Turner

Offers KVM products, LCD KVM switches and cables. Also has wireless USBs, SATA and Firewire; networking products including Bluetooth, Powerline and Wi-Fi; and a range of accessories.

Top Channel Contact: Erny-Jay Mezas

Offerings include NAS products, external hard drives, multimedia drives and removable storage technology. The company also offers media players, wireless data stations and portable drives.

Top Channel Contact: Greg Avera

Kensington focuses on laptop security and portable power. Its offerings include mice, keyboards, docking stations, cases and accessories for the iPhone, iPod and MP3 players.

Top Channel Contact: Russell Hunt

All-in-one printer products include the ESP9250 and the ESP Office 6150. Kodak also markets networked scanners, check scanners and workgroup devices and has micrographics devices.

Top Channel Contact: Michael Johnson

Products include printers, all-in-ones, multifunction, and ink and toner. It offers managed print services such as distributed fleet management in health care, education, government.

Top Channel Contact: Peter Reiner

Provides monitors, netbooks, optical media, networked storage and USB aircards. Monitors include thin, plasma models as well as standard LCDs. It also has Blu-Ray, connected portable devices, and projectors.

Top Channel Contact: Werner Heid

Logitech’s peripherals target Internet communication, digital music and home-entertainment control. It began with computer mice and now has interface devices for gaming consoles and more.

Top Channel Contact: Jon Roskill

Microsoft is known for operating systems, software and services. In addition, the company offers peripheral hardware including mice, keyboards, Webcams and headsets.

Top Channel Contact: Ashley Flaska

Offerings include large-screen displays, desktop monitors, medical diagnostic displays, plasma displays, whiteboards and multimedia digital cinema projectors. NEC is also strong in digital signage.

Top Channel Contact: Min-Liang Tan

Razer’s products include mice, mouse mats, keyboard and audio devices -- each of which is named after dangerous animals. It also provides gaming devices such as Xbox 360 controllers, headsets.

Top Channel Contact: Richard Hutton

Products include enterprise monitors, and multifunction color and black-and-white printers. It offers commercial digital signage displays, data projectors aimed at enterprise and education, and set-top boxes.

Top Channel Contact: John Vossoughi

Founded in 1978, Seagate Technology offers centralized network storage and NAS with options for PC, Mac and Linux. The company’s drivers include Pulsar SSDs, GoFlex for Macs and products that support 64-bit.

Top Channel Contact: Darren Stupak

Founded in 1946, Sony offers several printer, scanner and copier products. Sony’s display and monitor offerings include its Sony SimpleSign display for digital signage, and the VPL series of projectors and professional LCD monitors.

Top Channel Contact: Patrick Mani

Toshiba America manufactures and markets electrical products, Internet-based solutions, components and appliances. It offers displays under its imaging systems division, as well as networking and telecommunications products.

Top Channel Contact: Jeff Volpe

ViewSonic develops, markets and supports a broad range of tablets, LED TVs, computers, LED monitors, projectors, digital photo frames, digital signage displays, 3D devices and digital media players.

Top Channel Contact: Jamie Vo

Founded in 1970, Western Digital offers internal and external storage, home entertainment and networking products. Its external storage solutions support desktop platforms and include portable plug-and-play drives.