MERLION starts supplying NetApp solutions to the market of Kazakhstan

MERLION has announced the beginning of work as a NetApp distributor in Kazakhstan.

This stage in the activities of MERLION has become possible due to acquisition of the Verysell group of companies distribution business in July 2011, known in the market under the brand name Verysell Distribution. As a result of the deal, MERLION has expanded its geographic presence receiving some regional offices under its management not only in the territory of the Russia Federation (Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara), but also in Kazakhstan (Almaty). As part of the acquisition of Verysell Distribution. MERLION has acquired 20 direct vendor agreements in its portfolio, that are mainly aimed at the corporate market segment (50% - PCs and servers, 40% - telecommunications equipment). The status of “Official NetApp distributor in Russia” was acquired at the same time. In November 2011, MERLION signed a distribution agreement with NetApp for the Kazakhstan office in accordance with development plans in Каzakhstan.

"The decision to start working with a new vendor in the new market is consistent with the MERLION strategy - the development of VAD-distribution and Enterprise areas, expansion of markets outside of Russia - says Victoria Tarantina, director of development of the MERLION branch network of the CIS and Eastern Europe. - Our Kazakhstan partners are already familiar with NetApp products; now NetApp products successfully complement the existing Enterprise segment related products in the MERLION Almaty branch portfolio”. Victoria also says that “Kazakhstan's IT market is the fastest growing market in the CIS and forecast of its growth dynamics is up to 30% by 2013. We intend to meet the demand in the data storage systems market to the fullest extent, since our partners’ customers include 50% of public institutions and the same number of corporate clients”.

NetApp storage systems are already available for order to MERLION partners in Kazakhstan. The main value of NetApp solutions is flexibility and ease of use. The company presents a unified architecture for data storage on a single platform for major network environments. As part of NetApp architecture, users get the broadest functionality and scalability in the industry.

As an official distributor, MERLION guarantees its partners the best conditions for the supply of goods under the order. Authorized partners will also be provided with multilateral support in terms of service, pre-sales service and marketing. Thus, it is planned to hold a series of activities in the next few months aimed at training of partners and enhancement of their skills in the use of NetApp products. Not only sales trainings will be conducted, but also technical seminars with demonstration of the equipment. It is also planned to organize a wide range of activities aimed at users of the equipment.

MERLION already offers its partners a variety of value-added services as part of the VAD-distribution development in Kazakhstan: preparation of configurations of different complexity; design of complex IT infrastructure for a particular company using a variety of options for solutions; support in the implementation and servicing of the equipment. And all this combined with a strong network of logistics, flexible financial terms and marketing sales support.

“For NetApp, Kazakhstan is one of the priority markets in the CIS, and the choice of trading partners is very important for successful business development – says Roman Volkov, head of the NetApp representative office in Russia and CIS countries. - We already have cooperation experience with MERLION as one of our key distributors in Russia. Now we are also pleased to continue the partnership in Kazakhstan. This will allow us to expand our partner network, as well as to better provide NetApp solutions to customers in Kazakhstan that help to achieve greater flexibility and efficiency and use of IT as a tool to ensure the future growth of their business”.