Technology Reseller v26

NEWS : RESELLERS 01732 759725 12 Adam Simon Resellers are more optimistic about the coming 12 months than they were a year ago and, backed by robust growth in 2019, are driving investment in both traditional and emerging product categories such as IoT. So says IT market intelligence company CONTEXT, which has just released its latest annual ChannelWatch report based on a survey of more than 6,500 resellers in the UK & Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Baltics, Russia, Turkey and South Africa. This shows that while growth of 3.4% in distribution in the nine months to 30 September 2019 was slower than the previous year’s figure of 6.7%, there’s still great momentum in the industry, with more new resellers coming into the market than leaving it in virtually every country. Moreover, channel businesses aren’t sticking just with what they know, e.g. PCs and monitors, but are investing in new technologies such as smart home and hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). For B2B resellers, the top areas of investment over the coming 12 months are cloud (49%), networking (46%), cybersecurity (38%), workplace optimisation (31%), datacentre solutions (24%) and IoT (18%). In the B2C space, the list is topped by PCs (57%), where higher-end SKUs like gaming PCs and ultra-light/portable models are compensating for a considerable drop in the number of units sold, followed by software (39%), storage (37%), components (36%) and printers (36%). Commenting on the findings, CONTEXT Global MD Adam Simon said: “Although B2B resellers expressed a more positive opinion of the coming year than B2C resellers, sentiment overall has strengthened considerably across the region, driven by a sharp increase in optimism in the UK and Germany. This is despite continued Brexit-related uncertainty and slowing GDP in Germany.” He added: “It appears that many resellers experienced far higher growth last year than the headline figure for revenues in the distribution channel. We believe this is due to corporate digital transformation efforts, investments in cloud and IoT, as well as classic drivers like the Windows 10 upgrade”. www.contextworld.com Channel optimism grows despite economic headwinds Take a bow On December 16 and 20, volunteers from business services group Commercial helped Caring for Communities and People [CCP] raise money for its Hamper Scamper initiative by wrapping presents at the local charity’s Gift Wrap Station in the Regent Arcade, Cheltenham. Katie Dainty from CCP, which provides young people with crisis accommodation and other support, said: “This service is the main fundraising element for Hamper Scamper and every penny we make counts. This helps us to provide food hampers and children’s gifts to those who are isolated or on the brink of homelessness, and those struggling to afford food and heating alongside the expectations of the festive season.” www.commercial.co.uk Principle Networks builds on successful first year New network services provider Principle Networks is celebrating a successful first year in business and a flying start to its second. Founded in May 2018, the company with offices in Manchester and Leeds recorded turnover of £350,000 in its first year, doubling that figure in the opening quarter of this financial year and hitting its whole year’s target in the second quarter. Principle Networks aims to lead the way in the provision of SD-WAN services to mid- sized businesses across the UK, offering tailored, flexible solutions from a broad base of global suppliers. Russell Crowley, who co-founded the company with Alex Steer, said: “It’s been a fantastic first year for Principle Networks, and it seems like our second year will be even stronger. We’ve grown from just two people to what will be a team of six by the end of 2019, and we are already thinking about our next hire.” He added: “When we launched the company we had a strong sense that this was what was needed in the industry – something tailored and flexible, which worked around business needs, rather than trying to shoehorn a company into a one- size-fits-all product. The way businesses of all sizes now work, which is rarely with everyone in one office, is becoming more complex and it needs a more sophisticated solution.” www.principle-networks.com Critiqom acquired by Opus Opus Trust Communications, the Leicester-based multi-channel customer communications specialist, has increased its turnover by 50% to £42 million, with the acquisition of Scottish print and mailing expert Critiqom. Specialising in mission-critical customer communications for public and private sector organisations in utilities, financial services and healthcare, Critiqom delivers an end-to-end suite of data, print, post and multi-channel services from sites in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire and Warrington, Cheshire. The acquisition will enable Opus Trust Communications to grow its market share in the public sector and offer its digital transformation expertise to a larger client base across a wider geographic area. Opus Trust Communications CEO Tony Strong said: “We are delighted to welcome Critiqom to the Opus family, the acquisition represents a key step in the delivery of our strategic plan, expanding the offerings both companies provide to clients and securing our position as partner of choice within the public sector.“ www.opustrust.co.uk Alex Steer Russell Crowley Fifth acquisition is 18 months for inTec Business Solutions Acquisitive technology group inTec Business Solutions has made its fifth acquisition in 18 months with the purchase of Manchester-based technology provider CFM. A full-service cloud provider, CFM offers a broad range of services including security-as- a-service (cloud CCTV and access control); hosted desktop and support services; WiFi, internet connectivity and local networks; and unified communications. CFM co-founders Greg Buchannan and Mike Donovan are staying on to help develop inTec’s Technology and Telecommunications divisions respectively.