Smarthome's offering, which includes its own branded products and as well as third-party manufacturers, allows residential users to monitor and control lighting, security, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and entertainment systems. For Ingram Micro, this exclusive distribution agreement reflects the large IT distributor's focus on bringing new solutions to the marketplace. While the two companies' offerings are complementary in some segments, such as the security/surveillance, digital entertainment systems and home networking markets, the new relationship fills niches in other product areas. The agreements also allow their customers more flexibility entree into the CE and home convergence arenas and other adjacent markets.
Initially, Ingram Micro will offer a select list of Smarthome products and
include more as demand and customer interest warrants. Products are expected
to be available to Smarthome and Ingram Micro's solution provider customers by
the end of Q1.
"The rise of home networking and home automation has put these markets at
the threshold of tremendous growth," said Paul Bay, senior vice president
vendor management, Ingram Micro U.S. "This new relationship between Ingram
Micro and Smarthome positions both companies to benefit from this growth and
allows customers on both sides to profit in new areas."
While the distribution agreement allows Ingram Micro access to Smarthome's
line of home automation products, Smarthome's reseller contract also allows
the company to offer a wider variety of data and IT products to its customer
base.
"The distribution agreement with Ingram Micro allows Smarthome to increase
market share and presence with resellers who want to offer the latest home-
control products to their customers, while providing us an even broader
distribution channel," said Rajeev Kapur, vice president of sales and
marketing of Smarthome, Inc. "The reciprocal reseller agreement with Ingram
Micro allows us to tap into their vast number of SKUs. The opportunity for
Smarthome to offer Ingram Micro's products to our customers further solidifies
our standing as the leader in the home automation marketplace."
Smarthome prints more than five million catalogs per year and serves
customers in more than 120 countries. The company offers more than 5,000
items for home automation, or "electronic home improvement" projects.
For more information, please visit Smarthome's Web site,
http://www.smarthome.com
or
http://www.insteon.net or call 1-800-SMARTHOME.
About Ingram Micro Inc.
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 services, technical support,
financial services, and product aggregation and distribution. The company
serves 100 countries and is the only global IT distributor with operations in
Asia. Visit
http://www.ingrammicro.com/corp.
About Smarthome, Inc.
Founded in 1992, Smarthome, Inc. is the world's largest integrated
retailer/distributor of electronic home improvement solutions to enhance a
home's value, comfort, convenience and/or safety. Headquartered in Irvine,
Calif., Smarthome products are sold to an international customer base via the
Web, phone and retail outlets as well as to professional dealers and
installers through its SmarthomePro division. Its Smarthome Engineering
division is responsible for the OEM and distribution sales channels.
Smarthome, developers of a new home networking technology called Insteon(tm),
(http://www.Insteon.net), is dedicated to making life more convenient, safe and fun.
The company's on-line catalog can be found at
http://www.smarthome.com. Newsweek
magazine called Smarthome's online store "the Amazon.com of electronic home
improvement." On Dec. 1, 2004, Smarthome shipped products to its one-
millionth electronic home improvement customer.
SOURCE Smarthome Inc.
Web Site:
http://www.smarthome.com
