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Comstor, DCC Connect for Federal Online Shoppers

Comstor Corp., a division of General Electric Co.'s information technology business, has teamed with Digital Commerce Corp., Reston, Va., to give government customers the ability to shop online for Comstor computer products.

DCC operates the FedCenter Web site, an online shopping guide for government customers looking to buy computer products. Chantilly, Va.-based Comstor is a computer distributor that sells products from over 100 manufacturers.

Miami Computer Acquires Electronic Image Systems

Miami Computer Supply Corp., Dayton, Ohio, is acquiring Electronic Image Systems Inc., Bellevue, Wash., to expand its line of audiovisual presentation systems.

The deal's financial terms were not disclosed. Electronic Image had revenues of $11 million in 1997.

Miami Computer distributes more than 1,800 computer and office automation products to federal, state and local governments and commercial companies. It has expanded rapidly through acquisitions, buying nine companies in the last 18 months.

The company reported sales of $107 million last year and expects more than $223 million in sales this year.

IBM Adjusts Sales, Distribution Strategy

To increase sales of its NetFinity servers, IBM Corp, Armonk, N.Y., is selling the product directly to some of its customers.
In the past, IBM sold network servers exclusively through distributors and resellers.Though most servers will continue to be sold through the sales channel, customers who want to buy the product directly from IBM can do so.

The move was made in response to customers' requests, a spokesman said.

In related news, IBM has given four distribution companies approval to manufacture IBM PCs to order. The move is an attempt to reduce inventory and drive down costs.

The four will sell IBM PCs to small and midsized computer resellers based on the actual number of orders received.

They are: Pinacor Inc., Tempe, Ariz.; Ingram Micro Inc., Santa Ana, Calif.; Tech Data Corp., Clearwater, Fla.; and InaCom Corp., Omaha, Neb.

Lotus Sends Resellers To Summer School

Lotus Development Corp., Cambridge, Mass., is conducting a series of seminars in June and July to train resellers to sell its products to small and midsized businesses.

Lotus is a subsidiary of IBM that makes software products and offers a variety of services. It is teaching resellers how to integrate and operate Lotus products for their customers.

The seminars will be conducted in 22 cities throughout the United States and Canada, and are part of a campaign Lotus launched last summer to build its reseller base.

So far the company has recruited 3,800 resellers to market its products to small and medium businesses. Lotus' goal this year is to train about 10,000 people.

Tech Data Sells European Unit to Rival

Tech Data Corp., Clearwater, Fla., is selling one of its foreign companies to rival Ingram Micro Inc., Santa Ana, Calif., for $100 million.

Munich, Germany-based Macrotron AG, which Tech Data bought last July, competes with recent Tech Data acquisition, Computer 2000. Tech Data announced plans to buy Computer 2000, Munich, for about $395 million in April.

The Macrotron sale is subject to regulatory approval and contingent on the Computer 2000 acquisition. It is expected to close by July 31.

- Richard McCaffery

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