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Computer maker Lenovo and SED International Holdings, a distributor of computer technology, consumer electronics, small appliances and cellular products, announced that they have entered into an agreement under which SED will distribute a selection of Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, ThinkCentre desktops, IdeaPad laptops, Lenovo-branded laptops and options to SED’s network of U.S. reseller partners.
Beginning immediately, products available through SED International include the ThinkPad Edge and SL laptops, designed for customers who want business-class performance, are style-conscious and need these features at an affordable price. Starting at around $600, the laptops are equipped with choices of second-generation Intel Core processors and include multimedia functionality.
“We do the majority of our business through channel partners, and by adding SED International as a new distributor, we’re strengthening our commitment to the channel and leveraging SED International’s expertise in a market we do not serve today, especially for partners who specialize in small business computing,” said Chris Frey, channel chief for Lenovo North America. “The Lenovo-SED collaboration can quickly bring them products with the performance, reliability and innovation their customers require.”
Lenovo G Series laptops offer a bevy of business-centric computing features, while IdeaPad laptops feature multimedia and entertainment technologies that customers can use for business or personal computing. The SED portfolio also includes the ThinkCentre A70z all-in-one desktop for high-performance computing that features a small footprint, making it ideal for crowded offices.
“SED is excited about our new relationship with Lenovo,” said Jonathan Elster, president and CEO of SED. “We’re continually evolving and expanding our line card to better meet the needs of our partners, and this agreement provides an excellent opportunity for SED to showcase its efficient and growing distribution network. We see a lot of opportunity for growth in the SMB [small to midsize business] space, and our new agreement with Lenovo enables SED to offer our reseller customers serving this market a richer portfolio of products designed specifically to address their SMB clientele’s unique needs.”
SMBs intend to expand their use of technology to improve customer interactions, mobility options and operational efficiencies, according to the Third Annual Small and Medium Business Technology Adoptions Trends study released on July 27, 2011, by CompTIA, the nonprofit trade association for the IT industry. Seven out of 10 SMBs surveyed said they expect to increase their technology spending over the next 12 months.
A full third of the companies surveyed expect to increase their IT budget by 10 percent or more, and in the aggregate, SMB IT budgets are expected to increase by an average of slightly over 5 percent. Among the factors driving SMB technology buying decisions over the next 12 months are desires for better network efficiencies and robustness; improved connections with customers online and in a mobile environment; enhanced resource management and tracking; and more business analytics.
SED International also offers custom-tailored supply chain management services ideally suited to meet the priorities and distribution requirements of the e-commerce, business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets. Headquartered near Atlanta with business operations in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Bogota, Colombia and Buenos Aires, Argentina, SED serves a customer base of over 10,000 channel partners and retailers in the United States and Latin America.