Ingram Offers Toughbooks To Federal VARs

Panasonic added Ingram Micro to the list of distributors offering its Toughbook line to solution providers selling into the federal space. This expands channel access to the ruggedized notebooks for all segments of the public sector, with Ingram already providing Panasonic products for those selling to state and local government and education.

Ingram completes the triad of distributors helping Panasonic expand its federal channel, joining Synnex and Tech Data who both inked similar agreements with the vendor a year ago. Prior to that, Panasonic relied solely on Chantilly, Va.-based GTSI to meet the needs of federal customers.

"Before, [Panasonic] would set up teaming arrangements between GTSI and other resellers to go after contracts," says Bob Laclede, vice president and general manager of Ingram's government and education business. "Getting two resellers to work together when they're competitors is not always a good idea. It can create problems."

Ingram Micro has sold Panasonic Toughbook notebooks to solution providers targeting education, state and local government and commercial entities since December 2004. Now, with authorization in the federal space, VARs don't have to split purchasing between two distributors.

While Panasonic already enjoys market domination in the Department of Defense with its full-rugged models, Laclede sees great opportunity to expand the footprint in civil agencies with the semi-rugged line. Mobile workers in social services, environmental agencies and homeland security, for example, demand technology that can withstand a beating, but don't necessarily need the full spectrum of rugged characteristics.

"Out in the [battle fields] there is a heavily ruggedized requirement, which we all see," Laclede says. "But there are opportunities in the semi-rugged market, that middle area, where Panasonic doesn't have the traction they should."