The European rival to the Global Technology Distributors Council (GTDC), the Technology Channels Alliance (TCA), has been formally incorporated in Dublin and is looking to add members from both local and regional distributors across EMEA to share information, ideas and best practice.
The TCA is emphasising its regional nature and strengths, though current members' total revenues are well below the scale of the GTDC's European members.
Three former members of the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) are founder members of the TCA and will sit on the board of the EMEA-focused organisation.
Multi-regional distributors Westcoast, Exertis and Esprinet say they will work with the vendor community to help it understand and make full use of the benefits of working with local and regional channel partners across EMEA.
Robert Norum, chief executive of the TCA: "Our intention is to provide local and regional distributors in EMEA with a voice, and the TCA will represent the interests of local and regional channel players.
"We will be asking our members to sign up to a charter. They need to be professionally run, have a good reputation and be trustworthy to do business with. New members will have to be ratified by the board, but genuine technology distributors headquartered in EMEA will be welcome."
In addition to full membership for EMEA-headquartered distributors, there is also the opportunity for corporate resellers and retailers to join as associate members, and for distributors with headquarters outside EMEA to join as affiliate members.
"We don't want anyone to feel excluded. It is going to be a democratic organisation with a one member, one vote approach on key decisions," he said, adding that the TCA plans to establish a social charter and set up a charitable foundation with a portion of its member fees.
The organisation wants to run events, conduct research and produce case studies to help its members work more closely with vendors and each other to address issues and capitalise on local and regional opportunities.