Toshiba seeks new multivendor partner

After less than two years of partnership, multimodality vendor Toshiba America Medical Systems of Tustin, CA, and independent service organization COHR of Chatsworth, CA, have agreed to discontinue their asset management and multivendor service contract, according to Toshiba executives. The companies established their partnership in April 1997, with COHR agreeing to provide multivendor and asset management services for Toshiba (SCAN 4/30/97).

But in October, the two firms decided not to continue their partnership, according to Brian Turnbull, vice president of Toshiba's Technology Services business unit. Toshiba is continuing its relationship with COHR's Purchase Connection division, a unit that offers group purchasing services to members and gives Toshiba another outlet for equipment sales. As for multivendor and asset management services, Toshiba is now seeking other options, Turnbull said.

In the two years since it signed the agreement with Toshiba, COHR has had its share of turbulence. The company may find more stable ground soon: COHR signed a definitive merger agreement with Three Cities Research of New York in December (SCAN 1/13/99).