AST Unveils Distribution Strategy for GRiD Products; Reinforces Commitment to Reseller Channel
IRVINE, Calif. — July 19, 1993 — AST Research Inc. Monday announced initial marketing and distribution plans for the award-winning GRiD portable and pen-based personal computer products obtained from its recent acquisition of Tandy Corp's PC manufacturing business.
AST will position GRiD as a separate product line that will join existing Premmia, Bravo, Manhattan SMP, PowerExec and Advantage! brands. The GRiD product line consists of the award-winning GRiD Convertible, GRiD PalmPAD and GRiDPAD pen-based systems; the GRiD line of notebook and laptop systems; and the GRiD MFP and APT desktop systems.
"The addition of the GRiD product line increases the depth and breadth of the lineup our resellers can offer their customers," said Jerry Devlin, vice president of sales for the Americas.
AST will: — Continue to service those Fortune 1000 GRiD customers who require direct account management with the entire GRiD product line. — Immediately begin discussions with resellers to offer the entire GRiD product line. — Discontinue the GRiD 1-800 telephone ordering service by the end of July.
"We believe these important strategic moves demonstrate AST's long-standing commitment to the reseller channel," said Devlin.
Company Background
Ranked number 367 on the 1992 Fortune 500 list of America's largest industrial companies, AST Research is a manufacturer of desktop, file server and mobile computers. The company is represented in 100 countries and operates 41 international subsidiaries and sales offices.
According to International Data Corp., a Framingham, Mass.-based market research company, AST ranked seventh in the U.S. personal computer market share with 2.8 percent during calendar year 1992, while Tandy/GRiD ranked eighth with a U.S. market share of 2.7 percent. Using this data, the combined unit volumes would have positioned AST as the fourth-largest U.S. personal computer company.
The company's award winning product lines include AST-branded desktop, file server and notebook computers, in addition to desktop, notebook and pen-enabled systems that carry the GRiD and Victor brand names. AST's customers have one of the broadest product lines to choose from, covering the full-range of price, performance and service and support options.
AST's corporate headquarters is located at 16215 Alton Parkway, P.O. Box 57005, Irvine, Calif., 92619-7005. Telephone: 714/727-4141 or 800/876-4278. Fax: 714/727-9355.
CONTACT:
AST Research Inc., Irvine
Hollie Chriss Cronin, 714/727-7977