Comms Dealer

Tech Data's Q1 2017 results show it undergoing some repositioning, but also taking advantage of the extra product lines.

Europe continues to make up some 60% of total sales. The share price has risen after it indicated mixed fortunes and changing strategies.

On a constant currency basis, and excluding a small amount of sales from South America that it sold in March off last year, worldwide sales increased 2%.

In Europe, Q1 sales were $3.6 billion, up 1% on both a reported and constant currency basis.

"Despite facing a slightly softer demand environment, most notably, in the mobility market, our European team capitalised on pockets of strength, taking share in select product categories and geographies. At a country level, the UK, Germany and Switzerland delivered solid growth during Q1," said CEO Bob Dutkowsky.

At a product level, European operations posted sales growth in broadline products, including notebooks, ultrabooks and tablet PCs, as well as software, consumer electronics and security products. This growth was offset by lower sales in mobility and datacenter products.

"The portfolio of Tech Data's business has changed over the last few years as we have driven into more of the retail with new products from new vendors, and so we become slightly more second half oriented, than we have been historically, and I see that continuing," added Dutkowsky.

"In Europe, software had an unexpected dip in demand in Q1, resulting in sales that came in at the low end of our guidance range. Despite an uncertain and mixed demand environment, the team executed well, outgrowing the market in a number of product categories and countries.

"Strong sales on broadline products were largely offset by a sharp decline in mobility products across most of our handset vendors."

Ingram Micro's VP and MD in Australia, Matt Sanderson, has been appointed Country Chief Executive at Ingram Micro UK&I as of July.

He has previously worked at both local country and regional level in EMEA, leading Ingram Micro UK&I to three years of growth between 2010-2013.

The announcement comes as current UK&I Chief Country Executive, Brent McCarty, returns to the US to lead Ingram Micro's global sales.

Exclusive Networks is to distribute SentinelOne products in Europe. Their plan is to replace the 'Old Guard' of legacy antivirus software and provide organisations with a standalone approach to endpoint security that combines behavioural-based detection of both known and unknown threats, with automated mitigation and forensic tools to defeat attacks that employ a combination of advanced techniques within malware, exploits, or insecure scripts.

"Bringing our solution to these key European markets is a significant step toward changing the face of endpoint protection on a global scale," claimed SentinelOne CEO and co-founder Tomer Weingarten. "We're fortunate to have Exclusive Networks alongside for this effort."

Barrie Desmond, COO at Exclusive, added: "Traditional antivirus products are continuing to fail millions of enterprise customers."

Wallix, the security software company offering privileged access management solutions for large and medium enterprises, public organisations and cloud service providers, has appointed IT security distributor Distology in the UK.

Paris-based Wallix grew by 44% in the second half of 2015 and aims to boost lead generation capabilities, pre and post-sales support and add dedicated channel resource in the UK.

Wallix is Distology's first vendor focused on the privileged access management (PAM) sector, one of the fastest growing technology areas in the cybersecurity solutions market.

Key drivers in the market are worries around internal IT security risks, password management, granting access to third parties or contractors, compliance with regulatory requirements and the governance of privileged access, monitoring and traceability.

Launched in January 2016, Wallix's main product, the WAB Suite will join Distology's portfolio of software vendors that are focused on the computer security market.

Hayley Roberts, MD, Distology, said: "Concerns around data breaches and compliance, such as the requirements imposed by the EU data protection law, the GDPR, are key factors driving uptake in the privileged access management market. Wallix enables us to extend the offering into this critical area of enterprise security."

Bruce Jubb, Regional Director for UK Ireland & the Nordics, Wallix, said: "We have ambitious growth plans in the UK."

Pennine Telecom has partnered with East Lancashire Railway in a new sponsorship deal.

The data, networking and telecommunications specialist has signed a three-year agreement which will provide it with a strong promotional presence in and around its home town.

Under the terms of the deal, Pennine will secure up to 20 poster sites at any one time across the railway's six stations and The Trackside pub at its Bury Bolton Street hub. In addition, the company's logo will feature on the ELR's main timetable leaflet and website and it will enjoy benefits such as exclusive use of the railway's 1920s Observation carriage.

Commenting on the company's decision to again offer financial support to the railway, Pennine's MD Andrew Roberts said: "We've already enjoyed a terrific and rewarding relationship with the East Lancashire Railway and can only see that becoming stronger as the attraction grows ever more popular.

"Like the ELR, we're also very proud of Bury, it's heritage and its sense of community. The railway thrives only through the support of its many volunteers and commercial partners."

BroadSoft has acquired Virginia-based Intellinote, an enterprise messaging-based team communication and collaboration software application.

"The consumerisation of IT, shadow IT and the rise of millennials in the workforce have upended traditional business and communication models. Users are now in control but today's point solutions are inadequate and lack integration, leading to scattered communications, ineffective meetings and fragmented workflows," said Taher Behbehani, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, BroadSoft.

"BroadSoft's Project Tempo envisions an integrated, contextual and mobile collaboration experience, so individuals and teams can work the way they want and focus on areas where they can make the greatest impact. The Intellinote acquisition helps us realise this vision."

Hats off to Gamma for scooping ITSPA's Best VoIP Infrastructure award, a category that focuses on companies providing back-end services for VoIP providers, and independently judged based on key features of the service, innovation, how it's differentiated from other services in the market and how well it delivers customer support.

Detailed examples of how the service has been successfully deployed were also included in the submission. Along with the written submission, each entrant underwent two months of technical testing.

Mike Mills, Head of Cloud and Infrastructure Channel at Gamma, said: "We're delighted to be recognised by ITSPA as 'Best VoIP infrastructure' for our SIP Trunking service."

Rob Walton, MD at VTSL, ITSPA member and one of Gamma's Channel Partners, said: "It's important that the partners we work with are forward-thinking and can effectively support us to deliver a reliable SIP Trunking service.

"We've been partnering with Gamma for seven years and our relationship has grown from strength to strength. We find it particularly refreshing to have direct access to Gamma's senior management and key personnel within the business and it's clear that they listen to our feedback and take it on board."

VoIP distributor ProVu has teamed up with IP intercom manufacturer Castel to offer a bespoke intercom design and build service, offering resellers a variety of models and features all compliant with disability regulations.

With its bespoke design and build service Castel offers a range of options including a choice of materials: brass, bronze, anodised colours and stainless steel, custom finishes, choice of layout and buttons, incorporation of logos and engravings and bespoke mounting options and posts.

ProVu's Managing Director Darren Garland stated: "We know that items off the shelf are not always suitable for every project, now with Castel's value added service resellers are able to meet complex user requirements."

Castel's Manji Gami commented: "Our ability to provide a customised intercom housing that blends in with the aesthetics of a building, while still providing full functionality, means that we can meet the most challenging project specifications."

Basingstoke-based Southern Communications has scooped the NEC Best EMEA Reseller Award for the third time in the last four years.

"We are delighted with this award," said Paul Bradford, CEO of Southern Communications. "To win three out of the last four years is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the continued focus, commitment and capability of Southern Communications."

Directors Andrew Robinson and Simon Campbell were presented the award during a Gala Dinner at the Hotel Excelsior on Lido Island during NEC's three day Annual conference in Venice May 25th-27th 2016.

Southern Communications is on target to double revenues in the next five years through a programme of acquisitions and product developments.

Pictured: Paul Kievit, President NEC Enterprise Solutions (outside left) Andrew Robinson, Director of IT and Technical Services (inside left) Simon Campbell, Director of Installation (inside right) Mr. Hosaka, President Global Platform Solutions (Outside Right) in Venice

RingCentral is extending RingCentral Office capabilities with greater integration into the Microsoft ecosystem, providing integrations with Microsoft Outlook and Skype for Business.

These new integrations will complement RingCentral's existing integration with Microsoft Office 365.

"In today's multi-vendor cloud application environment, enterprise customers are empowered to choose best-of-breed software solutions," said Marco Casalaina, VP of Integrations for RingCentral.

"With our open platform we make it easy to have a seamless experience with RingCentral's cloud communications capabilities embedded into many popular business applications.

"Our integrations with Outlook and Skype for Business are the latest examples of how we're delivering a best-of-breed experience to fulfill the needs of enterprise customers."