SYDNEY, Australia -- 6 August 2001 -- Dimension Data Australia (formerly Com Tech Integration), Australia's leading end-to-end network integrator, has been awarded Australia/New Zealand Partner of the Year at the annual Cisco Partner Summit in Las Vegas.
More than 3,000 industry leaders and Cisco partners from around the world gathered for the conference in April this year. The award recognises the commitment of Dimension Data Integration, which during 2000 generated more than $75 million in sales through its partnership with Cisco Systems, to partnering with the networking vendor to deliver quality technology solutions and add value to customers' businesses.
The Dimension Data group is Cisco's largest Gold integration partner in Australia. Com Tech Communications recently rebranded as Dimension Data Australia and continues to work closely with Datacraft Asia (also part of Dimension Data group), which won Cisco's 2001 Partner of the Year award for the entire Asia Pacific region.
Dimension Data Australia has forged a strong relationship with Cisco because it offers the industry's broadest range of hardware products for establishing information networks. It was also the first certified Australian integrator with Cisco IP telephony specialisation.
"We really are the best equipped partner to assist customers in terms of integrating new technology solutions," said Gerard Florian, General Manager Multi-Service Networks, Dimension Data Australia. "This award acknowledges our drive to work with industry leading companies to create value for end users," Mr Florian said.
"We see partnering as the best way for two companies to work together. It is more than just a business partnership – we share similar outlooks on how we want to bring new technologies to market and make our customers more successful," said Kip Cole, Cisco Channels Director for Australia & New Zealand.
Mr Cole said channel partners now account for almost 90 per cent of all Cisco sales.
Through its awards, Cisco encourages partners to focus on selling solutions and services as well as hardware. Considering that services margins can be almost ten times higher than hardware margins, the company believes it is critical for partners to make the transition.
"As markets broaden, Internet technologies become increasingly complex and expectations of customers become more demanding, making partnerships more important than ever," Mr Cole said.
About Dimension Data Holdings
Dimension Data Holdings plc (LSE: DDT), is a leading technology company that represents a new category of systems integrator providing network and multi-channel e-business solutions to global corporations. Founded in 1983 as a specialist supplier of technology and services, Dimension Data's strategy has evolved with the emergence of the intelligent network as the most important enabler in business today. Dimension Data's global presence combined with its expertise and extensive skills base in network infrastructure and e-business solutions environments enables its customers to ascend into the global marketplace through 100% connectivity and integration. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Dimension Data is a member of the FTSE 100 index, employs over 12,000 people and operates in over 30 countries on six continents. Dimension Data has achieved a three-year compound annual growth rate in US dollars of 73% in revenue and 36% in basic earnings per share. For more information, please go to www.didata.com.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at www.cisco.com.
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