Kontron and RUTRONIK sign franchise agreement

Eching, Germany, March 20. 2007 – Kontron Embedded Modules GmbH and RUTRONIK Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH have signed a sales partnership for Single Board Computers and Flatpanel Solutions with effect from 1 March. The franchise extends across Italy and Spain as well as Eastern Europe including the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland. The partnership between the market-leader Kontron and Rutronik is an important milestone for the extension of Rutronik’s linecard in the area of Single Board Computers. Together, they want to strengthen existing potential in the sales regions named above and also attract new customers, especially in the growing Eastern European markets. The partners will rely on their common resources of high performance technology coupled with local presence in the target markets and technical consulting competence through their distributors.

Both partners have come to appreciate cooperation with each other for quite a while: since 2005, Kontron has delivered Flatpanel Solutions to RUTRONIK, but without an official franchise agreement until now. “We recognised our system effects from the beginning and also wanted to make use of them strategically with an official partnership in order to strengthen our position in these important European markets even further“, comments Dirk Finstel, CEO Sales & Marketing/CTO Embedded Modules Division at Kontron. “With their recent membership in the EU, especially the Eastern European countries promise enormous potential business which we want to exploit together“. RUTRONIK has already been present for several years with its own branches in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland. This guarantees competent advice and technical support in the particular local language as well as an understanding for the local requirements and market conditions.
In Italy, Europe’s third largest distribution market, and Spain, this broadline distributor scores through its strong sales presence. “This cooperation with Kontron will open up many interesting and new starting points for us to complete solutions consisting of Displays and Embedded Boards“, explains Thomas Schneider, Marketing Director Displays & Embedded Boards at RUTRONIK: “Italy is reporting a boom in the medical and industrial market. The Gaming and Cash Systems segments are especially fruitful in Spain”. Both companies agree: the partnership should create faster time-to-market and thereby competitive advantages for their customers.