Good term for a business partner and competitor?

In our line of work we often work with other companies as partners on some jobs, and then compete against them on other jobs. So they are partners and competitors. Is there a good term for this, along the lines of "frenemies"?

On the theory that one should keep one's friends close, and one's enemies closer, the academic world uses the term Colleague for precisely the relationship you describe, as well as others.

I don't believe that there's any term such as frenemy that encapsulates the ideas of both partner and competitor when it comes to companies. You could perhaps choose from some of the more non-committal related terms such as:

• Peer
• Associate
• Affiliate

On second thought, I suppose that only peer could be construed as completely neutral. But there you have it.

Since you have invoked the [portmanteau-words] (0 followers) I will suggest:

Compartnitor