Avast Business partners with Westcoast to grow channel portfolio in the UK
Avast Business announced today a new partnership to distribute its full portfolio of on-premise professional antivirus software through Westcoast, a UK distributor of IT products and services for the channel market, to Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and other reseller partners.
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The deal, signed in January 2021, is the largest regional distribution contract in Avast's history and signals the company's intent to help create a safe, private, modern day workplace in our 'new normal' for UK businesses and their customers.
Avast will also adjust its channel strategy to consolidate its distributor landscape as part of its ongoing commitment to the channel and small business market. Avast will operate a two-tier channel model and the deal with Westcoast will provide access to 9,000 trading partners across the UK. For Westcoast, the agreement represents a new opportunity for the distributor, which has no competing software offering and will reinforce Westcoast's ever-growing commitment to cybersecurity products and suppliers.
Alex Tatham, Managing Director at Westcoast, said, "Cybersecurity is the number one issue on the desk of every CIO in the UK – that's every business including all those serviced by Westcoast's army of partners. Our partnership with Avast will enhance our security offering and provide a new line of business to our already outstanding software capability. We have no competing offering and hence will put all of Westcoast's considerable energy and enthusiasm behind this new relationship; helping Avast Business consolidate its channel and allowing our reseller customers to offer the very best products in the market. I couldn't be more delighted."
Commenting on the deal, Marc Botham, VP of Worldwide Channel and Alliances at Avast, said: "We have a responsibility as a cybersecurity company to protect the vulnerable from opportunistic cybercriminals. Historically, SMBs have fallen into this category because of budget, resource, or personnel constraints which have prevented them from preparing for, or responding to, cyber incidents that pose a threat to their business continuity. The partnership with Westcoast will help us to reach the UK market at scale and serve these businesses with affordable, enterprise-grade products, as well as sharing expertise on how to become more cyber resilient through Westcoast's new cyber division, Westcoast Cyber."
Westcoast is offering the full portfolio of Avast Business's on-premise solutions, including Avast Business Antivirus, Avast Business Antivirus Pro, Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus and Avast Patch Management to its partner hub. The deal will also include the distribution of AVG antivirus products, including AVG AntiVirus Business Edition and AVG Internet Security Business Edition.
