OREANDA-NEWS. September 02, 2011. MERLION, the Russian leading IT-distributor, declares expansion of its footprint in the markets of the CIS countries. Due to acquisition of the distribution business of Verysell Group of Companies known in the market as a trademark of Verysell Distribution, MERLION extended its geographical reach having obtained several regional offices under its management not only on the territory of the Russian Federation (Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara) but also in Kazakhstan (Almaty), reported the press-centre of MERLION.

Development of the Kazakhstan market is a logical step in realization of the strategy of distribution development in international markets.

“On the CIS territory, the Kazakhstan IT-market is the most dynamic after Russia, it has gone ahead even of Ukraine and Belarus, - Evgeny Loginov, General Director of the regional office in Kazakhstan, notes. – Programs of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan influence positively development of the hi-tech market in the region. So, for example, 500 thousand PCs will be supplied to the schools of Kazakhstan by the current academic year. During the nearest years (till 2015), the government plans comprise equipment of more than 50% of educational institutions with computers, and in 2016 to 2020 – already 90% of educational institutions must be connected to broadband Internet and, accordingly, to e-learning. A great potential of the Kazakhstan IT market became a key factor favouring passing of resolution on active business development in Kazakhstan. Besides, we see that many vendors cooperating with MERLION are interested in this region.”

The Kazakhstan office operates through the unified logistic system of MERLION (ERP) and carries out importing, customs clearance of goods, realization and promotion thereof on the territory of the Republic. The responsibility area of the regional office in Almaty comprises cooperation with partners and development of partners network, provision of before-sale and after-sale support of clients, arrangement and realization of marketing initiatives with consideration for specificity of the local market.

For the moment, the product portfolio of the Kazakhstan office of MERLION presents products of 23 vendors focused mainly on the corporate segment of the market (50% - PCs and servers, 40% - telecommunications equipment): Allied Telesis, A4tech Creative, D-Link, Digma, Enterasys Networks, Intel, iRU, Jetbalance, Kingston, Kingmax, Mio, NetApp, NCP, Netgear, Oklick, PC Pet, Samsung (memory), Siemens Enterprise Communications, Supermicro, Targus, Thrustmaster, Tripplite.

Besides, MERLION’s plans by the end of the year to expand the basket of offer of the Kazakhstan office with the products of at least two manufacturers of servers and data storage systems with which the central office of MERLION cooperates.

Vyacheslav Simonenko, General Director of MERLION: “Office in Almaty is one more step forward in development of our company, MERLION is a recognized leader in the market of Russian IT-distribution, and we intend to hold leading positions in the distribution market in CIS. We set extremely ambitious goals to the Kazakhstan office – to embrace 5% of the Kazakhstan IT-market already by the end of 2011. This will require considerable efforts but the office has all resources required for that. We are sure that the partners of the Kazakhstan region will be able to appreciate new quality of support of their projects already in the near future”.