Topfield Co Ltd, a Korean manufacturer of set-top boxes and personal video recorders (PVR) such as the Masterpiece, has ditched its local distributor of seven years, Digital Products Group which formerly traded under the name Topfield Australia, in favour of ACA Pacific Pty Ltd which specialises in distributing storage, imaging and security products.

The decision was made by Topfield Co Ltd but Digital Products Group was notified of the deal by ACA Pacific rather than Topfield Co Ltd itself, according to Digital Products Group director and manager, Jai Kemp.

“Digital Products Group, formerly Paige Communications, have been the sole distributor for Topfield for the past 7 years. The first we found out that Topfield had appointed ACA was from ACA themselves,” Kemp told SmartHouse News today.

Topfield Co Ltd decided to release its ties with Digital Products Group following some “legal disputes”, according to ACA Pacific marketing manager, Raj Saini.

Earlier this year the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found Digital Products Group guilty of performing price-fixing in relation to certain of its Topfield-branded set-top boxes and PVRs and ordered the company to pay damages of almost $300,000.

“Topfield approached us and asked us if we would distribute their set-top boxes and PVRs – they knew we were a value added distributor, that we make investments in sales and marketing and we have established retail contacts, a solid distribution structure and that we are a national company,” Saini told SmartHouse News.

The focus for ACA Pacific and Topfield is now on strengthening an already solid retail channel and providing efficient and industry leading service for its range of award-winning products, said ACA in a press notice today.

“ACA Pacific will be working closely with its retail channel partners to develop exciting product offers and a sound knowledge base,” said the notice.

“Topfield Australia had an illusion that they were Topfield,” said Raini, who also said Digital Products Group will clear its current stock while Topfield Co Ltd plans to phase them out as a distributor.

ACA has placed an order for all new Topfield products along with their current stock, including the new 7000PVRt set-top box.

Topfield’s retail presence won’t change much initially, as ACA Pacific enjoys close ties with “all the main partners like JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Myer,” according to Saini, but ACA also plans to invest some time gaining Topfield distribution is some smaller, more specialist audio and video retailers.