Ingram Micro To Open East Coast Solutions Center In 2005

The facility would be nearly identical to a 2,000-square-foot solutions center in Santa Ana, Calif., where solution providers can test and develop solutions and bring end-user customers in to demonstrate the solutions at no charge, said Keith Bradley, interim president of North America and CFO of North America at Ingram Micro.

"Santa Ana has been very successful since it opened several years ago. Manufacturers and VARs find it very useful," Bradley said. "Rather than theorizing a solution, they can show end users how it works. It's hard to sell if they can't see."

Ingram Micro's Santa Ana center has some virtual capabilities that allow solution providers to do remote demonstrations, but most solution providers had to go to Santa Ana for full utilization of the center, Bradley said.

Ingram Micro and vendors have invested about $5 million in equipment for security, storage, surveillance and VoIP equipment at the Santa Ana center, said Kevin Murai, co-president of Santa Ana-based Ingram Micro.

"There are two things that make it difficult for vendors or resellers to do this on their own. First, it's multivendor, and second, the technology in the center is more leading-edge and higher-end," Murai said.

Approximately 800 end users visited the Santa Ana solution center with resellers in 2003, according to Ingram Micro.