2006 proved to be a busy year for mergers and acquisitions among VARs, integrators, service providers and other channel players hungry for swift growth. Here's a tally of some of the key deals.
VENDOR-SPECIFIC VAR MERGERS
--Buying a peer to get scale
Luminate/Stonebridge-Sun ploy
Sigma/SSI-Sun ploy
Net@Work/Eagle Consulting-Sage play
INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC VAR MERGERS--Buying a peer to get scale
Fishnet/True North (security)
Fishnet/Siegeworks (security)
MTI/Collective (storage)
Eschelon Telecom/Mountain Technology (telecom)
AmeriVault/Capitalbackup (storage)
OTHER VAR MERGERS--For scale or expertise
GreenPages/TenCorp.--Growth and scale
TIGNetwork Plus--Growth
Logalis/Alliance Consulting-Consulting
MSP PLAYS--To add or beefing upp MSP capabilities
Iomega/CSI--To add MSP offering for its worldwide SMB VARs
Incentra/NST--To add security expertise to its managed services offerings
Perimeter/ANE--To add security expertise to its MSP business
Perimeter/Breakwater--To add security expertise to its MSP business
Perimeter/Red Cliff--To add security expertise to its MSP business
Wipro/cMango--To add BMC expertise to its MSP business
Voyss/Lan-Com--Bringing together telecom and data for an MSP play
VENDOR PLAYS--Vendors looking to solution providers to beef up their skills or reach
EMC/Interlink--To add Microsoft expertise
EMC/Internosis-To add Microsoft expertise
Microsoft/ProClarify-To add business intelligence ISV expertise
Xerox/Amici-To get closer to market
Canon/Uinta-To get closer to market
Toshiba/Copy Machines-To get closer to market
Toshiba/Gold Coast-To get closer to market
INVESTOR PLAYS--Seeing opportunity to invest in the channel
Clarey/Phoenix Computer
ISV PLAYS--Beefing up specific software skills
Domin-B/Logicbuilt--To add property management software expertise
Domin-B/PMAS--To add property management software expertise
Domin-B/American Computer Software--To add property management software expertise
DISTRIBUTION ACQUISTIONS
Seneca Data/CSI--Custom system
Arrow/Skydata--To expand business into Canada
U.S. CHANNEL PLAYERS EXPANDING OVERSEAS
Ingres/Thinking instruments--To open European channel
NSI Software/Sunbelt--To add European distribution capabilities
ACQUISTIONS THAT FELL THROUGH
Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC)--Explored being acquired, then cancelled
NWM/NetTeks--Possible Cisco play scuttled at last minute
*Through mid-August
Note: List may not be complete
Source: CRN Research