Cranel, Inc.

Profile	-
Type:	Private
Founded:	1985
Founder:	James Wallace, Executive Chairman
Key People:	President and COO Craig Wallace
Headquarters:	Columbus, OH
Area Served:	Example
Products:	Enterprise Content Management (ECM)
Employees:	120
Websites:	www.cranel.com, www.cranelimaging.com, www.versitec.com

Cranel Inc. is the parent organization of two divisions that deliver enterprise content management(ECM) solutions and services to document imaging Value Added Resellers (VARs) and their customers. In addition, the company founded ISOdx Solutions, a software company offering a tool to solve problems for technology support teams. ISOdx Solutions was spun off as a wholly owned subsidiary in January 2011.

The company’s Cranel Imaging division is a value added distributor (VAD) employing certified professionals that provide a broad portfolio of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) technologies and solutions for document imaging value added resellers (VARS) to assist their customers. Its Versitec division customizes maintenance, customer support and management solution services for Cranel Imaging VAR customers. It also has a Boston Repair Center that specializes in spare parts, refurbished equipment and document imaging equipment repair.

Cranel has a 24-hour customer support center, a customer competency center, professional services, product development labs and product warehouses focused on the ECM market. The company’s solution partners include Burroughs Payment Systems, Canon, eCopy, EMC Corporation, iDatix, Imation]], Kodak, Kofax, Nuance Communications, Panasonic Corporation, QStar Technologies Inc., Topaz Systems, Visioneer and Xerox.

History

Cranel Inc., headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and founded by CEO James Wallace,^[1] began doing business on June 1, 1985 as a distributor of storage disk drives and printers, moving to a larger building that incorporated warehouse facilities in 1986. The company added sales locations throughout the Midwest, and in early 1988 expanded both its business focus and territory by opening a repair depot/spare parts business in Boston and building out an east coast sales organization.

In the early ‘90s, Cranel Inc. again expanded to include a document imaging business (Cranel Imaging) to its portfolio, and began handling imaging equipment for several large manufacturers including Fujitsu, Kodak, Bell and Howell and Kofax. In 1992, Cranel Inc. opened a west coast office in San Jose, California, and built its own office building and warehouse in the Polaris area of Columbus.

In the mid ‘90s, Craig Wallace (now President and COO) returned to the Columbus area and founded the company’s maintenance and customer support business, Versitec. By the late ‘90s, the company had introduced professional consulting services, opened a Canadian distribution center and evolved into a company that was involved in many facets of the imaging and storage business, including the value added reseller storage division, Adexis.

By the mid-2000s, Cranel Inc. had developed a software product (ISOdx) to improve customer support cycles for its Versitec division, which they elected to take to market. In 2009, Cranel reorganized, selling its Adexis storage division^[2] and refining its direction as an enterprise content management (ECM) value added distributor and provider of services. ISOdx solutions was spun off as a wholly owned subsidiary in January of 2011.

Products & Services

Cranel products range from ECM technology hardware to ECM software and service offerings from a variety of manufacturers that allow businesses to scan, capture, manage and store data. Cranel Services through its Versitec division include:

• ECM VAR Services: On-site support, Scanner Services, Repair and Refurbish, Next Day Replacement Plan and Customized Maintenance and Support Plans • Customer Support Center: 24 x 7 diagnosis and trouble shooting, Service Management Portal • Customized Scanner and Maintenance Solutions (V-CARE) • Data Storage Services

References

1. ^ "James Wallace". Forbes.com. Forbes.com. http://people.forbes.com/profile/james-wallace/36483. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
2. ^ "FusionStorm buys software business Adexis". San Francisco Business Times. Dec. 10, 2009. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/12/07/daily49.html. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 

Links

Cranel Imaging to Distribute Award-Winning Desktop PDF and Office Productivity Applications From Nuance: http://bsminfo.com/article.mvc/Cranel-Imaging-To-Distribute-Award-Winning-0001

1. Cranel Imaging Signs Agreement as First Distribution Partner with Microtech Systems http://www.microtech.com/Aboutus/news18.php
2. Cranel Inc. Goes Live With Cranel Imaging Online, the Value-Added Distributor’s eBusiness Site http://www.lexdon.com/article/Cranel_Inc._Goes_Live_With/19792.html
3. Cranel Imaging Becomes a Distributor of Formatta’s E-Forms Solutions http://www.smartbrief.com/news/aaaa/industryBW-detail.jsp?id=C0FF92CC-64A4-46B6-8AD6-95731D808BEE
4. Panini North America Selects Cranel Imaging as First Value Added Distributor http://www.panini.com/about-panini/media-center/press-releases/panini-north-america-selects-cranel-imaging-first-value-add
5. Visioneer Announces New Healthcare Program for VARS Provided Exclusively by Cranel Imaging
6. http://www.freshnews.com/news/444396/visioneer-announces-new-healthcare-program-vars-provided-exclusively-cranel-imaging
7. Cranel Divides to Conquer Storage Market http://www.crn.com/news/storage/18836243/cranel-divides-to-conquer-storage-market.htm;jsessionid=4qB6cedHKtgSVsTrPN060w**.ecappj02
8. Cranel Relaunches Trio of Web Sites http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101101007074/en/Cranel-Relaunches-Trio-Web-Sites
9. Cranel Announces Expansion of its Versitec Support Division http://www.fiercecio.com/press-releases/cranel-inc-announces-expansion-its-versitec-support-division
10. Notable Solutions Selects Cranel Imaging as National Distributor for the AUTOSTORE Family of Products
11. http://www.documentmanagementscanners.com/notable-solutions-selects-cranel-imaging-as-national-distributor-for-the-autostore-family-of-products/
12. Cranel Imaging Chooses ProStor InfiniVault for Enterprise Content Management Market http://www.prostorsystems.com/News/Press-Releases/Press-Releases-2009/Cranel-Imaging-Chooses-ProStor-InfiniVault-for-Enterprise-Content-Management-Market
13. Rimage Appoints Cranel Inc. as a National Distributor for the Entire Line of Rimage Products http://www.gurufocus.com/forum/read.php?10,41324
14. PowerFile and Cranel Imaging Launch Distribution Deal http://www.datastorageconnection.com/article.mvc/PowerFile-And-Cranel-Imaging-Launch-Distribut-0001
15. Fujitsu’s Imaging Products Group Names Cranel Imaging its Fastest Growing Distributor of the Year for 2002 http://www.fujitsu.com/us/news/pr/fcpa_20030410-01.html
16. Cranel Inc. Plans Expansion, Creating 75 New Jobs http://www.feedback.thedailyreporteronline.com/news/2001/05/04/cranel-inc-plans-expansion-creating-75-new-jobs
17. FusionStorm Acquires Adexis from Cranel Inc. http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M&A/FusionStorm_Inc_acquires_Adexis_from_Cranel_Inc-2136872020
18. Cranel Imaging Named Top Distributor of Bowe Bell & Howell Scanners http://www.ecmconnection.com/article.mvc/Cranel-Imaging-Named-Top-Distributor-Of-Bwe-B-0001
19. Versitec Selected by Bowe Bell & Howell to Provide Service on Scanners http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/versitec-selected-by-bowe-bell--howell-to-provide-service-on-scanners-70782342.html
20. Kodak Partners With Versitec on Advanced Unit Replacement of Lower-Volume Document Scanners http://graphics.kodak.com/docimaging/US/en/About_Us/News/2005/050927a.htm
21. Versitec Honored by Kodak With Two Top Partner Awards for Fifth Consecutive Year http://bsminfo.com/article.mvc/Versitec-Honored-By-Kodak-With-Two-Top-Partne-0001
22. Versitec NetBackup Customers to Receive Enhanced Support Slashing Problem Resolution Time at no Cost http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6962717/Versitec-NetBackup-Customers-to-Receive.html
23. Versitec Earns Elite Status in Symantec Technical Support Partner Program for Third Consecutive Year http://financial.tmcnet.com//news/2008/03/27/3350237.htm