A tribute to the distributors

The past few years have been challenging for the distribution sector, but in spite of some significant consolidation there is still plenty of competition for this year’s Channel Awards, not to mention plenty of pride at stake.
Last year’s winner, Computer 2000 (C2000) and broadline competitor Bell Micro will be the front runners for the Systems Award, but Micro Peripherals (Micro-P) and Westcoast will be hot on their heels.
It’s a similar story in Software ­ which Bell won in 2006 ­ and Networking, where all the usual suspects line up along with a few outsiders.
One of the chief threats to the big players this year is Westcon. Having acquired Crane and Noxs, Westcon is now a force in distribution and is in the running for three awards: Networking (Westcon/Comstor), Systems (Westcon) and Security (Noxs).
James Clark, head of marketing at Comstor UK, said the business is stronger and healthier than ever. “Being nominated for both the Networking and Security categories is testimony to how the business strategy is coming together and the value we put behind building a differentiated channel partner focus.”
But Clark is keeping his own counsel about the group’s chances of winning. “We will see,” he said. “It has been a good year and winning would top it off.”
Another keen competitor is Enta Technologies, which this year is vying for the Networking and Software Awards. Vice president of the firm Jon Atherton said that having won an award in 2006 (Systems and Components), the company fully expects to compete again in 2007.
“Entatech is certainly a real force in the market now and being nominated simply underlines that fact. The competition is stiff, but we’re on the list and we’ve worked hard. I firmly believe that we can walk away with an award.”
Azlan will be looking to claim the Networking Award again, but will face strong competition from the likes of Ingram Micro, Enta, Micro-P and Zycko. Andrew Shepperd, director of Azlan UK, said the pace has quickened. “Last year was one in which we made good progress but we’ve come even further in 2007. We’re delighted to be on the shortlist again and we’ll continue to deve-lop new initiatives and drive our business forward in the run-up to the deadline. Yes, we’d love to win again, but whatever the result, we’ll keep working hard to meet the needs of our customers.”
In the more specialist Security and Storage awards, last year’s winners were Computerlinks and Hammer respectively and both will again start in pole position.
David Ellis, director of e-security, professional services and training at Computerlinks, believes it is getting harder to win the specialist awards as more powerful players come into contention. “We have won before, but know that as the awards have become bigger they have also become more competitive. We know that if our customers are successful then we will be successful.”
Ellis thinks that the presence of bigger contenders ­ Bell Micro, Sphinx and Horizon equIP ­ will make it harder for Computerlinks this year. “It’s difficult to pick our biggest rival, but there are certainly larger organisations than us who are shortlisted for the award. Given that these play in volume markets such as storage and servers, they certainly have a larger potential customer base from which to solicit votes.”
It is not all down to votes, though. The judges will also have their say after the votes are cast, and smaller companies that attract good levels of support have as much chance as the bigger players. If the larger contenders always won, there would be little chance for highly focused specialists, such as Hammer and CMS Peripherals to win. Both companies have walked away with the Storage Award before and are competing for the title again this year.
James Ward, managing director of Hammer, said that knowing what it takes to win is a real advantage.
“We believe our dedicated commitment to the storage market gives us a real chance to retain this accolade, and we’ve worked harder than ever this year, both with and for our partners.”
Coming out on top at the awards is really worth it, he stressed. “It raises Hammer’s profile as a specialist value-added distributor and when market differentiation is tougher >> than ever before, it demonstrates how our proposition stands out from the crowd.”
The Specialist Award is one of the toughest to call because all the contenders are very different organisations operating in very different markets. The 2006 winner, Midwich, must start as the favourite, but others, such as Datech 2000, which is part of C2000, and broadband and SME reseller specialist DMSL may also be in the running this year.
Nick Culley, managing director of Midwich, said the company will be doing all it can to get support from its customers, but knows it will not be easy. “We are optimistic but absolutely not complacent. Any form of praise or recognition is great, but the Channel Awards are something special. None of the other shortlisted companies are direct competitors, but anyone who has made it this far has to be a serious contender.”
Datech 2000 director David Watts is delighted that the company has been shortlisted this year. “We know we add much more than the standard distribution model allows and to be recognised as one of the most specialised is an honour in itself. Our channel is very specialised, but I would like to think we have as good a chance of winning as any of the companies in the list this year.”
John Carter, managing director DMSL, is also optimistic. “We’ve made it onto the shortlist two years in a row now and that says something in itself. This year we’ve launched eBCM and FixITlocal ­ real innovations for the channel that will make a big difference to resellers. I guess that’s why we are there and why we have a chance of winning.”
Linux specialist Interactive Ideas might be considered one of the outsiders for this award, but simply making it this far is a positive sign for the industry as a whole, said Michael Trup, the company’s managing director.
“It is recognition that Linux-based solutions are now sufficiently mainstream that large numbers of resellers feel they should be considering it as a possibility for their customers and that we are the people to talk to.”
All the distributor categories in this year’s awards are likely to be keenly contested and with such a strong line-up of companies on the shortlists, every vote will count. Voting closes on Friday 19 October and winners will be announced at the Channel Awards on 22 November at Battersea Park Events Arena.