Acer is among the few PC vendors still focusing exclusively on the channel with their branded products, according to Paul Cook, the company's UK sales director.

"Throughout 2003, Acer has arguably been the only vendor not to adopt a direct strategy. Some of our competitors believe that the only way to sustain business in an industry that is showing single-figure growth is to set up a direct sales arm.

"Our view is diametrically opposed to this and our loyalty to the reseller base has paid off," he said.

Acer claimed that it is the fastest-growing PC vendor in Europe at the moment, pioneering efforts to develop the tablet PC market and working hard at developing its channel relationships this year.

Cook believes that Acer has a real chance of becoming the 2003 SME Vendor of the Year.

"By supporting our 3,500-strong reseller base with leading-edge, reliable products and offering excellent support and marketing, we have once again dominated the SME arena with our laptop offering."

CRN analysis
Acer may be an outsider for the channel awards but the company has certainly made great strides this year and must be in with a chance of winning the SME Vendor award.

Fujitsu Siemens prizes partners
Thanks to a clear commitment to the UK small-business channel and a pioneering warranty scheme, Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) should be in poll position to be named SME Vendor Partner of the Year at the Channel Awards, the company claims.

Ian Snadden, director of channel and SME sales at FSC, said: "Our resellers are able to develop their business with FSC knowing that it will retain its channel focus."

Last year, the company grew its UK SME business by 28 per cent. In addition, FSC has just launched its refresh4you scheme, hailing it as the industry's first add-on fourth-year warranty for desktop hardware.

This scheme, it says, is a direct result of feedback from SMEs who prefer additional warranty support to technology enhancements.

"It's a tough market for resellers today, so we're determined to give them all the support we can," Snadden said.

FSC funded more than 300 separate reseller marketing programmes last year, and trained at least 500 reseller sales and support staff. It is also holding another Channel Conference in July, where the focus will be on practical needs rather than promoting FSC.

The SME award is the big hope for FSC this year, but Snadden also thinks it has a chance in the Corporate category and of being chosen as the Editor's Choice again, as it was in 2002.

"Many resellers see us as the UK SME channel champion, and we're happy to assume that role. But we've also seen dramatic growth from our corporate business this year. We think we offer a viable alternative and a real choice for UK resellers," he said.

CRN analysis
FSC has emerged as one of the winners from the Hewlett Packard/Compaq merger and has taken its chance admirably. In the SME sector in particular, its pragmatic approach has enabled the company to make great strides. It could be FSC's year in this market.

There's still time to get your entry in
The deadline for entries to this year's channel awards is just a few days away, so now is the time to get your entry in.

There are eight awards, for which a panel of 12 independent judges will select short-lists of six contenders. Readers of CRN and its sister title Computing will be asked to vote for one of these six companies to select the winners.

To enter, all you need to do is outline in as little as 250 words why you believe your company deserves to be nominated for a specific award this year. To find out more and to place your entry, go to www.crn.vnunet.com and click on the Channel Awards button, or call (01923) 330 220. Entries must be in by this Friday, 4 July 2003.

The channel awards dinner, to be attended by 1,100 guests, will be held on Wednesday 19 November 2003 at Battersea Park Arena, London.

The eight categories you can enter are:

All CRN reader votes will be audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation.