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DISTRIBUTION
32
Differentiation in
IT distribution
Twelve months after joining IT distributor Entatech,
Managing Director Dave Stevinson bought the company
business and those of our resellers. The
sector as a whole is down by about 15-
20% per annum, but there are pockets of
growth. Our strategy is to ‘get niche’ and
focus firmly on these areas where we can
compete with industry giants,” Stevinson
explained.
Entatech’s offer is centred on four key
areas – PC Components and Gaming,
Networking and Connected Home,
Systems and Peripherals and Software and
Solutions. Stevinson says it is not a broad-
line distributor, but a specialist within the
areas in which it operates.
Although the PC market is slowing
down on an annualised basis, there
are, according to Stevinson, pockets of
differentiation. “PC gaming and small form
factor computers used for vehicle or digital
signage bespoke applications are two
good examples of areas which represent
growth opportunities,” he said.
Refurbished devices, including
printers, monitors and laptops, are also
in demand. Stevinson said: “The group is
an authorised Microsoft refurbisher, and
we are seeing volumes steadily increase.
Cost is a key driver in choosing refurbished
as opposed to new devices. Often people
don’t need the latest technology when
they’re looking for additional equipment
for junior workers, or to complement what’s
already in place and that’s where we come
in with a cost-effective, quality alternative.”
Serving the channel
Entatech works with around 3,500
resellers each year and on a monthly basis
transacts with around 1,000 individual
clients.
The company is committed to developing
relationships with its resellers, providing new
opportunities and helping them to grow their
businesses. Each division comprises a team
of dedicated product specialists with expert
knowledge, who work closely with respective
vendors to implement new promotions,
reseller incentives and product launches
into the channel. “This ensures that our
customers have access to specialised
knowledge when they need it,” Stevinson
explained.
Each customer is assigned a dedicated
account manager, ensuring they always
have a direct contact for advice, sales
queries and product information.
“We currently partner with 76 brands
including Microsoft, Intel and Corsair, and
offer a portfolio of over 12,000 SKUs,” he
said. “We hold UK exclusivity with several
major brands, including ZOTAC, XFX and
Shuttle, and continuously update our
offer, adding new vendors, products and
technologies. We ensure that our portfolio
mirrors current industry trends, helping our
resellers to get ahead of their competitors
with exclusive, innovative products.”
The company has a 47,000 sq. ft.
warehouse, operating on an almost 24-
hour basis. “We offer next day delivery for
orders placed by 8pm,” Stevinson said.
“We will also ship directly to the end
customer under plain or white label, which
helps our customers maximise sales and
reduce their logistics costs.”
Easy to do business
Entaonline.com enables resellers to
browse, purchase products and manage
their account online. “It is a vital part
of our trading system and offers our
customers an ever increasing array of
tools and resources,” Stevinson said.
In addition, sister company, Entamedia
provides Xpressplatforms.com, which
allows resellers to create their own shop
front, boosted by their own branding and
populated with Entaonline product feeds,
customised to their own customer base.
Entatech has also recently launched
a new ESD (Electronic Software Delivery)
programme. “This is much faster and more
cost-effective. It’s a much more efficient
process and removes the requirement for
our resellers to carry stock,” Stevinson said.
Another key component of the firm’s
offer is Entacloud, a fully managed
wholesale IaaS cloud offering, including
public and private clouds, Back-up as-
a-Service (BaaS) and Disaster Recovery
as-a-Service (DRaaS).
“In essence, our objective is to add
value to the channel, reduce complexity
and enable our resellers to maximise
margin and ensure ongoing profitability,”
Stevinson explained.
Entatech is part of Entagroup, a mid-
market collection of tech firms with a
focus on software, hardware and digital
technologies. The company was founded
27 years ago by a Taiwanese entrepreneur
who saw an opportunity to bring
technology from Taiwan to England. The
company has stayed true to its heritage,
operating out of an impressive, purpose-
built Taiwanese Pagoda in Telford,
Shropshire, surrounded by gardens with
calming waterfalls, ornate bridges and
tranquil pools that are home to over
200 Koi Carp, a symbol of success and
prosperity in Taiwanese culture.
Stevinson joined the 100% trade-only
UK distributor in early 2015, its 25th
anniversary year, and just shy of a year
later, with funding secured from a family
fund – Stevinson Capital (private equity
firm) – he bought the business.
Niche player
“We’re looking to gain market share and
ensure profitability for both our own
Dave Stevinson,
Managing Director,
Entatech
