SEATTLE, June 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- Opens New Headquarters in The Hague, Expands Presence and Operations in New Countries, Signs Multiple Channel Partners Throughout Europe, Localizes Network Security Solutions

WatchGuard(R) Technologies, a global provider of network security solutions, today announced that it is rapidly expanding its market presence throughout Europe, marked by a series of substantive developments. This includes the opening of a new EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) corporate headquarters in The Hague, expansion of sales and operations into several countries, recruitment of new distributors and multiple new channel resellers, and localization of its award-winning unified threat management (UTM) solutions for France.

"We are pleased to be a part of WatchGuard's development as a prominent manufacturer of network security solutions in Europe," said Ernst Hartmann, business development manager of House of DNS. "As a European distribution partner of WatchGuard Technologies, DNS is contributing its share in order to support this energetic trend further."

Responding to customer and channel demand, WatchGuard recently opened a new EMEA headquarters in The Hague, giving the company a centralized location to better address pan-continent needs. Additionally, the company has been adding to and rolling out new sales, marketing, support and operations staff throughout the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Sweden, Spain and Austria, while supporting channel partners and customers in nearly 40 countries.

"In many ways, European businesses are on the cutting edge of leveraging IT for efficiency gains, implementing 'green' technology solutions and adopting best network security practices," said Terry Haas, vice president, international sales at WatchGuard Technologies. "Ideal for midsize enterprises, WatchGuard security appliances meet these needs by providing unmatched performance, in-depth management and control, and highly secure data protection -- all at extremely competitive price points."

Evidencing the company's accelerated expansion and growth, WatchGuard recently added several new distributors and nearly 50 new value-added resellers. Major distributors include: Terach in the Netherlands, EDS Lan in Italy, Internet Security AG in Switzerland and Austria, Nemoris in Spain, Minitel in Portugal, and DNS in Norway.

As well, the company is making product and technology investments to support country specific needs. For example, in France WatchGuard recently released localized and fully translated versions of its latest UTM family operating system, appliance graphic user interface and supporting software and documentation. Adding to this, the company expects to accelerate its presence at local events, industry tradeshows, conferences and other high-touch venues to drive channel and end-user awareness and demand.

Haas concludes, "By having the right mix of localization, in-country experts and superior network security offerings, European customers stand to gain a new and compelling choice to better protect their business networks."

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

Since 1996, WatchGuard(R) Technologies, Inc. has been the advanced technology leader of network security solutions, providing mission-critical security to hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide. The WatchGuard family of wired and wireless unified threat management appliances and WatchGuard SSL VPN remote access solutions provide extensible network security, unparalleled network visibility, management and control. WatchGuard products are backed by WatchGuard LiveSecurity(R) Service, an innovative support, maintenance, and education program. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle and has offices serving North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit http://www.watchguard.com/.

WatchGuard, Firebox, and LiveSecurity are registered trademarks of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. All other marks are property of their respective owners.

Contacts: Chris McKie Jimme Peters WatchGuard Technologies 24/7 Consulting +1-206-613-3760 +1-503-289-5354 chris.mckie@watchguard.com jimme@24-7consulting.com

Web site: http://www.watchguard.com

Chris McKie of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc., +1-206-613-3760, chris.mckie@watchguard.com; or Jimme Peters of 24|7 Consulting, +1-503-289-5354, jimme@24-7consulting.com, for WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.