SANTA ANA, Calif., April 8, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE:IM), the world's largest technology distributor and a global leader in IT supply-chain, mobile device lifecycle services and logistics solutions, today announced it has teamed with SAP AG (NYSE:SAP), a provider of enterprise application software, to help expand the market reach of SAP's enterprise mobility solutions. Working closely with SAP, Ingram Micro Mobility expects to leverage its broad and deep value-added reseller (VAR) channel to drive SAP® solutions further into the small-to-medium-sized business (SMB) market.
Beginning April 15, 2013, Ingram Micro Mobility will provide its VAR community access to the SAP mobile platform, which includes SAP Afaria® mobile device management solution. Ingram Micro VARs will also have access to SAP's extensive portfolio of more than 300 mobile apps that support tasks from simple productivity to complex transactions across 24 different industries, employing mobile devices using iOS, Android, Windows and BlackBerry operating systems. Leveraging Ingram Micro's extensive distribution infrastructure and expertise will make the SAP apps available in an on-demand fashion through the proven Ingram Micro distribution model to the VAR community and end customers. Ingram Micro and SAP expect the relationship to benefit VARs and end-users by providing a cost-effective solution for the SMB market to take advantage of enterprise-class mobile solution software applications to dramatically improve productivity.
Ingram Micro, through its recent acquisition of BrightPoint, is uniquely positioned as the world's largest technology distributor, with additional leading global mobile device lifecycle management services. Ingram Micro Mobility has a broad, established reach into mobile retail channels and extensive VAR relationships that service the largest base of small-to-medium-sized businesses throughout North America. On April 8, 2013, at the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit, Ingram Micro will begin to educate VARs on what it takes to successfully drive business in a mobility-centric world and how the SAP mobile platform can best be leveraged in the SMB market.
"We expect this relationship will greatly benefit both companies," said Bashar Nejdawi, president, Ingram Micro Mobility, North America. "SAP can further leverage its extensive mobile product portfolio through Ingram Micro to more cost-effectively reach small and mid-tier companies that are looking for better ways to mobilize their business. We have the strongest track record in developing viable go-to-market strategies across multiple technology practices and no other mobile channel player can provide as broad of a connection with the VAR community as Ingram Micro. In addition, Ingram Micro benefits by providing our channel access to the latest technology and product and services offerings in the highly strategic and dynamic mobility space."
"SAP and Ingram Micro are teaming up to serve enterprises of all sizes, enabling them to quickly and confidently mobilize their workforces with little complexity, minimal set-up time and lowered implementation, management and infrastructure costs," said Sanjay Poonen, president of Technology Solutions and head of Mobile Division, SAP. "This is the coming together of two great brands — SAP, a leader in enterprise mobility, and Ingram Micro, a leader in distribution and mobile device lifecycle services. We expect the mobile revolution will benefit our joint customers and resellers, while also allowing thousands of small development firms and individual developers to innovate on top of SAP's industry-leading mobile platform and solutions."
About Ingram Micro
Ingram Micro is the world's largest wholesale technology distributor and a global leader in IT supply-chain, mobile device lifecycle services and logistics solutions. As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics and mobile solutions, technical support, financial services and product aggregation and distribution. The company is the only global broad-based IT distributor, serving approximately 160 countries on six continents with the world's most comprehensive portfolio of IT products and services. Visit www.ingrammicro.com.
Ingram Micro Mobility is a leading provider of device lifecycle services — with the ability to provide complete lifecycle capabilities from basic warehousing to software loading, order and accounts receivable management, end-user fulfillment and reverse logistics, which includes services from repair to refurbishment and recycling of wireless devices. Visit www.ingrammicro.com/mobility.
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"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Ingram Micro's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.