Versatile Acquires GreenPages' GPDistribution To Expand On Media And Entertainment Solutions

Versatile Communications, an IT infrastructure company, and GreenPages-LogicsOne, a systems integrator and cloud services firm, said Thursday that Versatile will acquire GreenPages' GPDistribution Services division. The union will expand upon Versatile's capabilities in high-performance computing workflows.

Focusing on its micro-market approach and extreme value-added distribution services, the Marlborough, Mass.-based solution provider and distributor will now leverage GPDistribution's solutions and expertise under one umbrella, said David Cote, president of Versatile.

"Our go-to-market strategy as an IT solution provider is changing the way customers are buying, so we're providing extensive managed services around IaaS instead of selling on-premise infrastructure," said Cote. "There is a lot of specialized resellers, folks who focus on media and entertainment or health care to provide integration, and we can provide wrapping of managed services to move up the stack."

[Related: HP To Take On Cisco Juniper With New Network Functions Virtualization ]

id
unit-1659132512259
type
Sponsored post

In addition, the acquisition brings GPDistribution's experience in dealing with large files in media and entertainment, further enabling Versatile's media and entertainment expertise. Additional resources and knowledge will be brought to a value-added distribution model for those in verticals such as health care, videosurveillance, architecture, construction and engineering (ACE) and broad technologies with large file challenges, said Tony Perfilio, vice president and general manager of Versatile Distribution Services (VDS), a division of Versatile Communications.

"We're working with ISVs and channel partners that are looking to understand that big file challenge [with] health care, videosurveillance, ACE architecture, construction/engineering and infrastructure workflows," said Perfilio. "We are confident we can take our media and entertainment expertise across verticals and bring it [to] ISV and partners to implement hardware, third-party plugins, and turnkey these solutions before they are implemented."

Perfilio joined VDS earlier this month. Before joining the team at Versatile, Perfilio had previously served as managing director of GPDistribution for six years.

"I was there and came over with the acquisition after discussions went back and forth," said Perfilio. "At [GPDistribution], we had a lot of clients, VARs that sourced product from us, and we're looking to sell them more things and found Versatile has more resources, services and agreements with major manufacturers -- and they already had a practice with value-added distribution servicing, working with media and entertainment," said Perfilio.

Carl Schellenberger, account executive for post-production and broadcast at Video Corporation of America, a Somerset N.J.-based communications systems integrator, said the new acquisition will continue to reinforce Versatile's distribution channel and its business.

"They provide a high level of service and support for us," said Schellenberger. "What's going to help us is provid[ing] a timely turnaround in terms of delivery; we do a lot of workstation and server business."

Versatile will continue to help VARs in the media and entertainment space, said Perfilio.

"These aren’t your traditional IT VARs, and we have the expertise on our staff to help VARs that are dealing with this unique space of video and audio post-production, digital signage and high-resolution footage," said Perfilio. "We're a distributor of parts, pieces and services, and also the latest information associated with these workflows that our VAR partners are involved in."

For the rest of 2014, Versatile's market strategy will continue to support VARs in other arenas, such as health care and videosurveillance, in addition to the media and entertainment space, said Perfilio.

"We're excited to bring those verticals up in volume with the support services that we can provide to our channel partners, and help our technology partners gain traction in those spaces," said Perfilio. "We want to continue to grow, find more VARs, and add those interested in learning about the video production, audio production or digital signage workflow, and it will just grow over the coming quarter."

PUBLISHED MARCH 21, 2014