Tait and Harris sign North America partnership

Tait Communications has signed a distribution agreement which significantly expands its market reach in North America, making Harris Corporation its exclusive distributor in the region.

The agreement with Harris’s Public Safety and Professional Communications (PSPC) business combines the companies’ product lines, dealer networks and direct sales capabilities, making Tait and Harris equipment and communications services available in more than 250 locations across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Tait Chief Executive Officer Garry Diack said he expects the new arrangement to deliver a significant uplift in revenue and market share in the public safety and electricity utilities sectors.

“In partnership with Harris we double our channel size to around 270 dealers and service partners, and also significantly increase our direct sales capability,” said Diack. “Our market intelligence, technical and support operations in North America will continue and develop in support of this arrangement.

“This partnership is important for customers as the products and services Tait and Harris offer are largely complementary, with limited overlap,” Diack added. “For prospective customers, it means a much more complete and comprehensive portfolio.

“Tait’s products and services are extremely well regarded in the critical communications sector around the world and our challenge, like many Kiwi exporters of quality goods and services, has been how to cost-effectively achieve greater market presence in large, geographically widespread markets like North America.”

Chris Young, president of Harris Communications Systems, said that the agreement will give both companies’ customers more choices.

“The Tait dealers across North America represent a strong network dedicated to providing professional communications solutions,” said Young. “We look forward to welcoming them to the Harris dealer network and helping to build their business and solutions portfolio.”

In future, Diack said, the partnership can evolve to deliver the new radio-based technologies and applications Tait is now bringing to market.

“We are seeing a broadening demand from users for greater mobile radio capability, particularly in the provision of data alongside voice, and the convergence of multiple networks — Wi-Fi, cellular and land mobile radio — all seamlessly working in support of critical communications,” he said.