Since the merger of Activant and Epicor, the company has moved to use its VARs to reach markets that it cannot address. In particular Epicor, which focuses heavily on manufacturing, wants the channel to serve distributors that often have manufacturing elements in their business. It is also eying the possibility of using resellers to handle the products of the former Activant, which had no channel. Activant was a distribution specialist and management does not yet know how much value VARs can add to the specialized knowledge that the operation can provide. The Activant element is going to share one element of its operation and that is Six Sigma, which Coulbourne says will be rolled out to the rest of the organization. Epicor is also studying whether it should use a channel or go direct in reaching the Latin America and Caribbean countries. Coulbourne said Epicor has boosted the channel program organization. Previously, Coulbourne reported to the VP of sales. Now he reports to Kevin Roach, EVP and general manager of the ERP business. Roach was an Activant exec, one of several in key positions that made the merger would like an Activant takeover of Epicor.