Ingram Micro Announces Flexible New Leasing Finance Options and Expanded Field Support for Partners in the U.S.

Distributor Teams up with Leading Financial Vendors to Ready Partners for Growth in 2008, Debuts New Lineup of Customizable Leasing Options and Enhanced Field Credit Support

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- In an economy of tight credit availability and stricter lending standards, Ingram Micro (NYSE: IM) is making it easier for its partners to finance their business with the introduction of a new suite of customizable leasing finance options and expanded field credit resources to help solution providers grow and capture more services value in 2008.

Available now through Ingram Micro Preferred Leasing (IMPL), these new leasing options include managed services financing, 100 percent software financing, public sector leasing, small ticket leasing, and vendor-specific leasing offerings from industry leading manufacturers Cisco and IBM. Solution provider partners can also use IMPL's private label financing solutions to brand their own company name and create a customized financing portfolio for their customers. Each financial services offering is designed in conjunction with one or more of IMPL's lending partners and available exclusively to Ingram Micro solution providers who are focused on meeting the IT needs of small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) operating within the U.S.

IMPL is working closely with Ingram Micro's sales and marketing teams, as well as the distributor's specialized divisions, partner communities and services initiatives including Seismic, SMB Alliance, GovEd Alliance and the VentureTech Network to educate partners on the benefits of leasing. The best-in-class distributor has also enhanced its field credit analyst support to provide better field coverage and help partners determine how to best use their Ingram Micro credit line in combination with other financing solutions available through Ingram Micro.

"Having access to the right financial services and support resources is a critical growth catalyst for solution providers who are eager to evolve their value proposition and build their business in 2008," says Ross Crane, CFO, Ingram Micro North America. "The investments we've made in IMPL combined with our field credit support teams have become a clear competitive differentiator for us and a true value-add for our partners. By leveraging Ingram Micro's financial services arm, our partners are able to provide their SMB customers the service, support and financing they need to maximize ROI and truly put technology to work for their business."

Ingram Micro's new leasing finance offerings are backed by a number of training and education courses, many of which focus on the end-user benefits of leasing and teach partners how to finance deals without dipping into their own capital, as well as give them the know how to effectively sell flexible financing solutions that encourage customers to upgrade their IT solution purchases. IMPL also offers partners access to business managers who are trained and ready to consult with partners on the ins and outs of financing.

"Our goal is to make financing easy and affordable for solution providers of all sizes," concludes Crane. "Over the years, Ingram Micro has helped thousands of partners grow their business and meet the needs of their SMB customers by establishing a stable of flexible financial services offerings for them to choose from. With these expanded leasing options and the support of our credit field analysts, we're making it that much easier for our partners to take advantage of the financial services and support offered at Ingram Micro."

For more information about Ingram Micro's new financial services offerings email Preferredleasing@ingrammicro.com or call (877) 877-0035, option 2.

About Ingram Micro

As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics services, technical support, financial services, and product aggregation and distribution. The company serves 150 countries and is the only broad-based global IT distributor with operations in Asia. Visit http://www.ingrammicro.com.

SOURCE Ingram Micro